Following a site inspection of the Potchefstroom Dam as a quarantine site, the local command council members confirm that the facility is not yet ready for Covid-19 positive patients.

Matthys van Tonder, a Freedom Front Plus and command council member, says the local command council has been meeting various stakeholders since March. Having decided that Potchefstroom Dam would be a quarantine site for the Covid-19 pandemic, they have been discussing preparations for the facility. They agreed that it would have to be upgraded before it could be officially handed over to the Department of Health.

In a statement, Van Tonder said that, on 16 July, the command council members were reassured that the facility was completely ready to be handed over. When the officials inspected the site on Tuesday, 21 July, however, this was not the case.

“It was abundantly clear that this centre would not be ready to accommodate any Covid-19 cases by 31 July, when the centre is due to be handed over to the North West Department of Health. There are no basic bath or shower facilities in either the rondavels or ablution blocks,” said Van Tonder.

Some of the upgrades and maintenance that have been done include new thatch roofs, repainting the rondavels and chalets and retiling, among others.

Van Tonder alleged that the municipality had spent at least R1,9 million on the upgrades so far. However, there were no proper bathroom facilities in the 15 rondavels and the ablution facility still needs maintenance.

According to Van Tonder, the original deadline was Wednesday, 22 July. Since the facility was not yet ready, an extension of seven days was given to complete it and then a further two days. The handing over should have taken place on Saturday, 1 August.

Santi Britz, the J.B. Marks Local Municipality DA Whip and a member of the command council agreed. “I was disappointed. It was not ready at all,” she said. A fellow councillor had reportedly told her that the facility was 100 per cent ready. The councillors are extremely concerned that the facility might not be ready for patients at the time of the peak.

Potch Dam ablutiton facilities. Photos: Provided

Tebogo Lekgethwane, the spokesperson for the Department of Health, says they are waiting for the handover, “as soon as the facilities are ready.” Other quarantine sites are available in designated places across the province, however.

“Some hospitals have beds available for Covid-19 patients, like the one in Rustenburg.

This centre (Potchefstroom Dam) will serve as another quarantine site, in case the number of positive patients gets out of control,” said Lekgethwane.

As soon as Potchefstroom Dam is ready, the local command council will conduct a final assessment of the facility to ensure that services can be delivered.

Lekgethwane says the assessment will include specifications for the beds, sanitisation, inspection and more.

The Herald sent an enquiry to the municipality, but, according to William Maphosa, the municipal spokesperson, the respective person was held up in meetings at the time.

The response, which will be sent at a later stage, will be published in Potchefstroom Herald’s newspaper edition and on the webpage.

https://potchefstroomherald.co.za/75852/potch-dam-not-ready-for-covid-19-cases/