16 Jul 2020

North East District Health Management Team (DHMT) coordinator Ms Rodah Phindela says the truck- holding bay by Chitawa Lodge at Ramokgwebana was a temporary measure.

The permanent bay in Tsamaya is nearing completion.

Ms Phindela was responding to concerns by North East District Councillors during the ongoing full council session at Masunga.

The councillors raised concerns over inadequacy of  amenities at the Ramokgwebana truck-holding bay.

Earlier on, Councillor Godfrey Smile of Ramokgwebana said the truck-holding bay lacked such amenities as toilets, ablutions and food outlets.

He said truckers had indicated their disgruntlement towards lack of these basic necessities,  hence requested that the district COVID-19 response team provided such.

Mr Smile highlighted that with the current status of the holding- bay, truckers may get tempted to leave camp to buy food and other essentials somewhere else.

Councillor Vincent Mooketsi of Moroka pointed out that he believed the holding bay was misplaced in that it was in the proximity of Ramoja Community Junior Secondary School, which may lead to children being tempted  to go into camp.

He said for the holding bay to be far from food outlets seemed like a punishment for truckers.

Councillor Bakani Badzili of Siviya reiterated that it was impractical for truckers to be kept in a place where there was no food outlets, adding that some may opt to break the law and drive back to Ramokgwebana border to buy food.

Ms Phindela highlighted that Tsamaya Trust had borrowed North East District an open space, which was currently being upgraded with ablutions, proper lighting  and office space.

Ms Phindela highlighted that the initial agreement with Chitawa Lodge management was that they would prepare food for truckers to buy, which arrangement did not materialise due to truckers insisting that they wanted to eat from their usual outlets at the border gate.

The coordinator assured councillors that the holding bay was under a 24-hour surveillance from law enforcement officers,  hence  it was not possible for leaners to gain access to the camp.

Ms Phindela said ever since truck drivers testing at entry points was instituted on May 13, Ramokgwebana border had tested 903 samples, four of which foreigners tested positive for COVID-19.

She stated that testing at the border gate was challenging at the beginning as samples were taken to Gaborone.

He however noted that the turnaround time had been reduced due to samples being tested at Nyangabwe Referral Hospital lab in Francistown.

Ms Phindela explained that currently there was no isolation centre in the district following a disproval to turn Masunga Clinic into one due to it being in the village centre. ENDS