Imizamo Yethu climbs the slope above the Hout Bay valley, with homes packed closely together on the hillside. Rats, cockroaches and flies are the everyday pests, and the steep ground makes stormwater and refuse a constant challenge.
Imizamo Yethu: what drives hygiene & disinfection here
Creches, clinics and community centres benefit from regular disinfection. Food stalls and takeaways also ask for sanitising.
It sits on the slopes below the mountain, with fynbos and steep rock above. Winter rain runs downhill fast and can carry litter into drains, while the South-Easter blows debris around in summer. The slope also means water collects in low points and blocked channels.
The area is a mix of informal structures built from zinc and timber, brick houses and some newer formal housing projects lower down. Homes are very close together, often sharing walls or sitting just a metre apart. Gaps in zinc and timber walls let rodents in easily, and they move quickly from one home to the next.
Rats are the main problem, followed by German cockroaches and flies in summer. Fleas and bed bugs come up in crowded homes. Mice get into food stores in shops and homes.
Something most people miss
Fogging is not magic smoke. The real work is the manual wipe-down of the things hands touch all day, and the fog then reaches the places a cloth misses.
Landlords sometimes ask us to treat a flat between tenants after illness. It is a reasonable step, and the written report is useful if anyone asks questions later.
What gives them away
- You are about to reopen a space that was closed because of illness.
- Shared equipment such as till points, keyboards, phones and kitchen counters is used by many hands every day.
- Several people in the same office or household have fallen ill within a few days of each other.
- Vulnerable people, such as the elderly or anyone on chemotherapy, live or work in the building.
- A client, landlord or head office has asked for proof that the premises were disinfected.
- A staff member, resident or regular visitor has tested positive or gone home sick with flu-like symptoms.
Respiratory viruses spread mainly through the air between people, but contaminated surfaces play a part, particularly in busy shared spaces. For a business the bigger cost is often staff absence: one case that turns into five can empty a small office for a week. There is also a trust issue, because staff and customers want to know something was actually done. Surface disinfection lowers the load on surfaces, but it does not replace ventilation, staying home when sick or medical advice.
How we handle COVID-19 disinfection in Imizamo Yethu
We start with the boring part that matters most: wiping down high-touch surfaces by hand with a suitable disinfectant, because fogging alone does not scrub a greasy door handle. Then we fog the rooms with a ULV fogger, which puts out a fine mist that settles on surfaces, including the ones nobody thinks to wipe. We choose products that are suitable for the surfaces and the people who will use the space, and we tell you how long to keep the area closed before re-entry. Electronics are covered or wiped rather than soaked. Afterwards you get a short report listing the areas treated and the product used.
Want the full step-by-step? See how our COVID-19 disinfection service works.
Stopping a repeat visit
- Stop sharing headsets, pens and keyboards between shifts where you can avoid it.
- Put a daily wipe-down of handles, switches and shared phones on someone's task list, not just the cleaner's.
- Know who to phone before you need it, so a positive case does not turn into a day of scrambling.
- Open windows where you can. Cape Town's south-easter is good for something, and moving air dilutes airborne virus.
- Place hand sanitiser at entrances, the kitchen and the till, and keep it topped up.
What affects the price
The cost depends mostly on floor area and how many separate rooms need fogging. Heavy furniture, lots of electronics or food preparation areas take more time because they need careful wiping and covering. After-hours or weekend work and repeat treatments during an ongoing outbreak also affect the quote, which is free.
A household with one sick person can do a decent job with gloves, a disinfectant and some discipline about door handles and the bathroom. For an office, a shop or a care facility, I would get it done professionally, partly for the thoroughness and partly because you get a written record that it was done properly.
COVID-19 Disinfection questions from Imizamo Yethu
Do you come out to Imizamo Yethu for COVID-19 disinfection?
Yes. Imizamo Yethu is part of our regular City Bowl & Atlantic Seaboard route, along with Hout Bay, Llandudno, Constantia. Most bookings are done within about 48 hours, and after-hours visits can be arranged.
Will it damage computers or documents?
No, a ULV fog is very fine and settles lightly. We still cover or wipe sensitive electronics instead of fogging straight at them.
Do you give a certificate or report?
You get a post-treatment report listing the areas treated and the product used, which most landlords and head offices accept as proof.
Is it safe for children and pets afterwards?
Yes, once the re-entry time has passed and the room has been ventilated. Keep pets and kids out while we are working.
Can you treat a whole row of homes in Imizamo Yethu for rats at once?
Yes, and that is the best way to do it. When neighbours treat together, the rats cannot simply move next door, so the results last longer.
Is it safe to use rat bait around children in Imizamo Yethu?
We use tamper-resistant bait stations so children and pets cannot reach the bait. We always explain where they are placed and what to watch for.
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