Unknown pills dumped in PTA

Members of the Mamelodi Treatment Action Campaign (TAC) are fuming at JADE Pharmaceutical Enterprises, who they say illegally dumped pills and testing kits, Pretoria East Rekord reports.

The items were allegedly dumped in Extension 6, Mamelodi East, next to a bus terminal.

Goodness Mbatha, member of TAC, said when they arrived at the dumpsite and found children playing with the pills.

“What would happen if one of the children swallows the pills? Maybe one of them already has. A person could lose his/her life.”

Members of the Mamelodi TAC, Rinah Senabi and Goodness Mbatha with the pills dumped at Extension 6, Mamelodi East. Photo Stephen Selaluke

Rina Semadi, another TAC member, said the pills looked like antibiotics though this has not been confirmed.

A concerned resident informed the TAC members about the illegal items. The resident said he found the pills and testing kits on a small footpath that was usually used by schoolchildren from Extension 6 and Phomolong informal settlement.

READ MORE: New dump site in north of Durban opening soon

Unknown pills dumped at Extension 6, Mamelodi East. Photo Stephen Selaluke.

“We phoned councillor Doris Matje to tell her about what was happening in her ward. She said she was in a council meeting but would send the Tshwane metro health department to come and clean the area, but that never happened,” said Semadi.

Another resident said he saw a white Ranger bakkie offload the illegal items. He said the bakkie was marked with JADE Pharmaceutical Enterprises branding.

While the members of the TAC where searching and investigating they found contact details of the company. Mbatha said when she phoned the company she was told it no longer existed. A while later she received a call from the same number and was told the pills that were dumped were not harmful, as they were vitamins. The caller then put the phone down.

TAC members said Matje was supposed to act as a leader and help the people who voted for her.

Unknown pills and business card of the company that dumped the pills in Mamelodi. Photo Stephen Selaluke.

Treatment Action Campaign is a social movement whose mission is to conduct monitoring, advocacy as campaigning within the healthcare system to ensure that every person living with HIV has access to quality and comprehensive prevention, treatment, care and support services.

– Caxton News Service

For more news your way, follow The Citizen on Facebook and Twitter.