More than 4,000 beds available at Limpopo’s 46 quarantine sites

The Limpopo government has – after much wrangling with the DA – made known the names and locations of 46 Covid-19 quarantine sites across the province.

The sites include public hospitals and private facilities like hotels, lodges and game reserves, with more than 4,000 beds made available.

Mining houses have also donated hostels to be used as quarantine sites.

The list was made available after the DA launched a protracted battle for the identification of the sites.

The Limpopo Department of Public Works, Roads and Infrastructure was then instructed by the provincial command council to identify and secure the facilities, as new infections continue to rise.

MEC Dickson Masemola said the government would only pay for operation costs such as cleaning and security services at public facilities.

He said the same would apply to the private facilities that have been donated for quarantine purposes.

“On private facilities for commercial purposes such as hotels and lodges, the department will incur costs for daily rates per room. Priority will be given to public facilities first.

“In the event that commercial private facilities are to be engaged, the department will consult Treasury to obtain the approved standard rate to pay for the hotels and lodges, but currently we have not contracted any private facility,” Masemola said.

7,296 cases, 68 deaths

The 46 quarantine sites, of which 22 are private facilities, are spread across all the five districts of the province.

Polokwane and Thabazimbi are currently the Covid-19 hotspots in Limpopo. By Monday, they had both accounted for 2,799 cases and 24 deaths in the province.

The number of cases now stands at 7,296, with 68 deaths recorded.

After its meeting on Wednesday, the Provincial Command Council noted that there was a major non-compliance with Covid-19 prevention measures in some areas in the Polokwane municipality.

The council also raised concern about the surge in the illegal selling of liquor and the staging of community soccer tournaments.

The Waterberg District command council has also raised concern about the re-emergence and escalation of infections in the mines.

District Mayor Morris Mataboge said the challenge was that the majority of mine workers did not comply with health prevention measures.

“This has the potential to spread as they reside within the communities,” Mataboge said.

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