September 10, 2004
By Lucky Sindane
JOHANNESBURG mayor Amos Masondo and his executive committee made a Sho' Left at the offices of pharmaceutical company, Pharma Natura, during a tour of Randburg, Alexandra and Sandton on Thursday.
Founded by Guy Wertheim Aymes in 1962 as the city's first natural health shop, Pharma Natura manufactures natural multivitamin and mineral supplements, as well as a range of homeopathic, anthroposophical and herbal remedies.
Dressed in white coats, with shoe covers and surgery caps, the mayor and his team looked the part as they were taken on a 40-minute tour of the facilities and were shown how capsules and medicines are manufactured and packaged.
"The company employs 300 people, including highly qualified pharmacists, bio-chemists, medical doctors, nurses, dieticians and IT technologists," operations manager Jean-Paul Renouprez told the mayoral team.
"Most of these employees are from disadvantaged areas," Renouprez added. "Pharma Natura packs about 800 000 bottles and tubes monthly. Most of our equipment is imported. We are in a process of establishing 400 pharmacies around the country."
The company distributes its range of products to pharmacies, health shops, discount chains, clinics and doctors around the country and to selected foreign markets.
In addition to Waleda, Vita Force, Bettaway, Herbaforce and Homoeoforce, Renouprez made special note of a recent nutritonal product range called Optilife for HIV-positive people. The product is recommended for use in conjunction with anti-retroviral treatments.
Pharma Natura is also involved in a World Health Organisation initiative to supply Vitamin A.
Next up was the Joseph Gerald Old Age Home in Alexandra, where the mayor handed out towels. Accepting the gesture in high spirits Reverend Father Ronald Cairns, OMI, joked with residents: "We are going to put you in the bath every day now that we have towels."
Joseph Gerald, established in 1989, is home to 53 elderly people who were abandoned by their families.
"We have picked some of these elders from the streets and give them a home, food, love, medical attention, social welfare, care for their spiritual needs. We help them regain their dignity," said Father Cairns.
Masondo responded: "We are very happy to be here - as the Bible says, 'Respect your elders so that your living days will increase'. We are willing to help in whatever way we can."
The mayor also officially opened a techno centre in Randburg, which has 14 computers, which allow children to learn to create programs and explore technology after school.
"I hope that young people will come here and develop leadership skills; they are the leaders of tomorrow," said Masondo.
Regional manager for social services, Wandile Zwane, said in addition to the computers they planned to create a radio studio where children will learn how to make sound recordings. "At the moment we have two television sets with video machines, but we are looking at increasing the number as soon as we get the funding."
Zwane said there had been no budget when the project was started so the region approached Motorola for help: "They approved the funding and we are finalising the documents".
The day the centre opened its doors it attracted 90 children and it promises to attract more and more as time goes by, said Zwane.
The mayor wrapped up his regional tour with a prayer at the Oasis Haven of Love Hospice in Randburg which houses 12 orphans in four brightly painted rooms. Outside there's a big open space filled with toys and a vegetable garden.
As Masondo and his team sang songs, the mayor joked that "people like Councillor Parks Tau (mayoral committee member responsible for finance) don't go to church, they can't sing."
Before the group left, the mayor presented a box of disposable nappies to the hospice. "We felt that you might need the nappies but we can also help if there's anything else that you need," he said.
Summing up the reason for the day's visits, Masondo said: "We have a responsibility to work together to improve the quality of the lives of people. The partnership which the government and the business people have is visible; there are a number of changes happening in our city."
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