The massive community screening and testing programme continued in Watersmeet (Ward 18) under Alfred Duma Local Municipality on Friday (April 17).
Under the leadership of District Mayor Siphiwe Mazibuko, stakeholders present included Alfred Duma Deputy Mayor Thuli Hadebe, Ward Cllr S Radebe, councillors, the Health Department led by CEO Msibi, and fieldworkers.
During the briefing, Mayor Mazibuko said it was important to reach all targeted and hot-spot areas so that the president could make an informed determination based on the statistics submitted.
The teams experienced different receptions at the households visited.
According to the municipality, misconceptions, rumours and misinformation contribute to stigma and discrimination, which hamper response efforts to Covid-19. This can create a situation where the virus spreads faster. People were educated to practice everyday preventative measures. They were taught to clean and disinfect frequently-touched objects and surfaces using a household cleaning spray or wipe.
A shop in the area was found to have no trading permit and was advised to visit the municipality to apply for a permit.
In Watersmeet, as in many areas visited so far, some people were seen roaming the streets and not observing lockdown regulations. The mayor was very concerned about that. “We should educate our people about the dangers associated with roaming around. We must enforce where there’s a need for enforcement,” he lamented.
After the first programme, the mayor and his team (including the Water, Sanitation & Technical Services chairperson) turned their attention to Ward 14 in Hobsland to check on the water project in the area. uThukela District has installed static tanks there, which are filled up by water tankers when the water is finished.
Community members thanked the mayor for providing water to this community. They told him that before this project, they had to travel a long way to fetch water from boreholes and wellsprings. Three standpipes are connected to the static tanks to increase access to water supply in the Hobsland area.
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