New staff members have been appointed by the City's environmental health unit, to help ensure Joburg is a clean and healthy place to live.

Refik Bismilla, executive director of health

THE City's health department has employed 52 new staff members to fill out its environmental health unit.

The new staff members comprise of environmental health practitioners, vector control operators and administrators, among others.

"We hope that you are ready to face all the challenges that come with working for the City of Johannesburg," said Peter Manganye, the deputy director of the unit, while outlining what the City expected from its employees.

Refik Bismilla, the executive director of the City's health department, said that the new appointees were faced with the challenges of making Joburg a world-class African city. "Your job is to make sure that city residents are staying, working and living in a healthy environment."

He explained that the job required transparency, honesty and uncompromising effort, which would ultimately lead to service delivery.

Bismilla also warned against corruption, noting that such acts would face the full force of the law. "Please don't let yourselves down, because you will be letting the City down ... We want to deal with an army of people who are dedicated and will be able to do their jobs effectively."

The recent appointments are aligned with the wishes of Executive Mayor Amos Masondo, who spoke of boosting the unit in his 2007 State of the City address. He said that the City would employ more environmental health practitioners to strengthen pest control services and to continue public awareness campaigns on food handling and the safe storage of chemicals.

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