Sizwe development a concern for former nurse
"You had to wear a face mask, gloves and double bag anything with blood on it.”
Peter Barrett, a former charge nurse at Sizwe Tropical Disease Hospital, has raised concerns about the proposed development to be built around the hospital.
He believes disturbing the soil could be disastrous because people with serious diseases were buried there.
The proposed development, the Linksfield Mixed Use Development, will see residential properties and roads built around the hospital.
The development was postponed earlier this year when a tribunal board noticed significant changes in the developer’s proposal including a reduction in the number of residential units to be constructed.
Since the proposal of the development in 2011, a number of concerns were raised by the community regarding heritage sites, graves and the natural environment.
Ward 19 Clr Bill Rundle previously said he believes there are more than 6 000 graves on the land.
The graves are of people who died from infectious diseases ranging from anthrax, smallpox, bubonic plague and leprosy.
During his 25 years at the hospital, Barrett worked in the TB and hemorrhagic fever wards.
“My concern is the dirt and rubble covering the graves today. You cannot determine where the graves are,” said Barret.
“Many of the tombstones and metal markers used to identify the graves have either been vandalised or stolen.”
Barrett believes the only way to truly locate the graves would be to clear as much rubble as possible and use ground- penetrating radar.
Since the hospital was established in 1895 it has treated patients with highly contagious diseases.
“While working in the fever ward you had to be extremely careful. You had to wear a face mask, gloves and double bag anything with blood on it,” said Barrett.
Having worked in TB wards, Barrett knows how dangerous the disease is.
“TB, and many of the other diseases treated at Sizwe, can remain active for many years after a patient’s death and can ‘survive in the soil’.
“If there is a sudden outbreak of these diseases it could be disastrous for the surrounding areas,” said Barrett.
At the hospital Barrett watched educational films about smallpox and other diseases.
In his opinion smallpox patients were affected badly and often their families were infected too.
“Because of life-threatening diseases, the utmost care is needed when working with the soil,” said Barrett.
The NEWS previously reported that Jon Busser, a town planner for the development, had told community members during a site visit on October 3 that the graves would remain untouched and nothing would be built over them.
