Maun food outlets fail hygiene inspection
Boniface Keakabetse | Monday August 11, 2014 11:28
She said 30 food establishments in Maun have so far been inspected by the council for compliance and the results proved that many have poor waste management practices, sell unwholesome foodstuff and fail to comply with set health and safety requirements.
The council found that the food outlets are poor in housekeeping, cook in untidy areas and employ staff with no records of medical examinations. Health inspections done in December 2013 and February this year on hotels and tourism facilities found evidence of unhygienic conditions which compromises and violates the Public Health requirements and other laws.
The NWDC licensing committee recommended a suspension of the restaurant licences until the guilty establishments have fully complied with health requirements. However, some closed restaurants have since reopened after making improvements to meet the requirements.
The NWDC inspected Eastern Caterers trading as Bimbos Restaurant at the Old Mall and found that the popular fast food outlet does not conform to stipulated food hygiene requirements. The council report says the restaurant had loose ceilings, loose water taps in the kitchen and toilets, no lights and broken toilet seats. Bimbos manager, Ookeditse Mokenti said they were forced to closed down by the council in March to do repairs.
He said the problem was caused by delay in negotiations with the landlord to maintain the building. He said many of their clients are night revellers who vandalise some of their property like toilets. He said they are planning to close down the fast food outlet to undertake thorough maintenance of the premises. “We lost more than P70,000 during the two weeks we were closed down,” he said.
At the popular Wine and Dine, trading as Choice Restaurant in the Old Mall, the inspection revealed the restaurant had a dirty kitchen, no handles on toilets, broken ceilings, faulty shower and cracked floors.
The restaurant owner, Leo Lin said they have rectified all the problems identified in the inspection.
At Yebo Restaurant in Mabudutsa ward, the inspection revealed untidy surroundings, no change room for employees, no provision for continuous hot water supply, broken grease taps, no protective clothing for employees, poor house-keeping in the kitchen, no medical fitness certificate for staff and no showers. Efforts to reach the restaurant management were futile at the time of going to press.