11 Feb 2021

Lack of compliance to COVID-19 protocols reportedly led to an upsurge of cases in a short space of time in Kgalagadi District.

Speaking during a council sitting on Wednesday, Tsabong Sub-council chairperson, Mr Ronald Baitsewe, said health statistics indicated that on February 2, the sub-district recorded 198 positive cases.

He said there was an upsurge of cases immediately towards the festive season and afterwards, something that could be associated with lack of compliance to health protocols.

Councillor Baitsewe highlighted that last month, the sub-district recorded over 129 cases, which he said were too high considering the sub district population size.

The transmission trend, he said, confirmed that there was local transmission because families and work places with index cases tended to produce more positives during contact tracing.

He said Tsabong sub-district recorded one COVID-19 related death registered last month.

Furthermore, Councillor Baitsewe noted that the rise in recorded cases had stretched the limited resources, adding that health officials were compelled to take a decision to temporarily convert Tsabong clinic into an isolation centre with 30 beds.

He said the decision affected health care services, which were offered at the clinic hence advising the public to visit Tsabong Primary Hospital while sexual reproductive services and child welfare clinic shall be offered at Nhake initially used as an isolation centre.

In another mitigating factor, the District Health Management Team (DHMT) expanded its screening and testing capacity by training a significant number of health care workers on rapid antigen testing.

To this end, he said 18 facilities were testing in the Tsabong Sub-district. The plan was to equip all 22 facilities in the sub-district to be able to test before the end of this month.

On law enforcement, Mr Baitsewe said it proved to be a challenge during the previous quarter where Tsabong Police Station recorded more cases of offenders who continued to break COVID-19 laws.

He said they recorded 458 cases for failure to wear masks and observe health protocols.

As for those who failed to obey the curfew law, 74 cases were recorded.

He said majority of those who were caught moving around were males as compared to the females.

Perpetrators were charged P500 for admission of guilt and so far P256 000 had been collected.

Meanwhile, Tsabong Sub-district acting district commissioner, Mr Thusang Nyoni, advised the council that it was important to employ necessary information communications technology to hold virtual meetings rather than sit in a council chamber since  it was evident that the virus was spreading at an alarming rate.

Bokspits/Struizendam councillor, Mr Hendrick Jacobs, concurred with the assistant district commissioner stating that all council committee meetings had been halted.

However, he said, when it came to a council sitting, only a minister of Local Government and Rural Development had the authority to cancel such meeting.

Tsabong Sub-council’s senior assistant council secretary, Mr Jimmy Mackenzie, said in order to adhere to health protocols, the council had taken all necessary measures to reduce COVID-19 risk factors.

He said attendees had been scaled down to reduce the numbers to observe social distancing.

He divulged that recently one of the councillors and some of the council staff members tested positive for COVID - 19, hence the need to strictly adhere.

Mr Mackenzie elucidated that holding of virtual meetings for councillors was a challenge since there were no resources. Councilors do not have offices which could be used to hold such meetings.

He said they shall continue with the scheduled council sitting, which shall be conducted under strict health protocols. ENDS