SMOKING LAW AND REGULATIONS NOT ADHERED TO - PLETTENBERG MALL

At the new Plettenberg Mall in Plettenberg Bay smoking laws and regulations are not adhered to. During the past two weeks I have on several occasions had to take the matter up with the Manager. Whilst he told me he supports the fact that patrons to the Mall should not be smoking inside or near the stores, nothing has been done about this problem.

I have had to request 12 smokers in the past 3 days to please move away from the store because they are not allowed to smoke there. Store owners now have to fend off the smell of cigarette smoke inside their stores, and personally being asthmatic I have had to be on a Nebulizer for the past 4 days.

There are children’s stores fronting the mall and the Law specifically stipulates that no smoking is allowed in any area where children are present, the same Law also states that smoking in public areas must not be within 25m from the entrance to a Mall entrance or public entity. I have now on record photographic evidence of this practise.

I have today again made an attemtp to take the matter up with Mall Management to no avail. I am told to contact the Regional Manager, which I did, via telephone, only to be informed that I may not speak to her as she only communicates via e-mail. It should not be my responsibility to take this matter up with the Holding Company after I reported it to Mall Management. That is Mall Management's responsibility.

I was informed by staff of Shoprite Properties, that Shoprite Properties and Mall Management DO NOT have to have any “SMOKING AREA or NON-SMOKING” signs up, nor do they feel that they are compelled to place sand bins for smokers to throw their cigarette butts in. Currently some smokers just dump the cigarette butts where they stand.

We have protection in the Law against inhalation of second hand smoke, yet the Mall Management and Agent believes they have no responsibility for demarcating smoking areas. The smoking culprits are leveraging the "NO SIGNS" aspect, and thus continue the practice.

Both local and regional managers of Shoprite Properties have abdicated responsibility, and the Officer in charge of Public Safety in Plettenberg Bay is also not available.