Doctors Without Borders (MSF) has again called on the City of Cape Town to close the Strandfontein shelter for the homeless. The organisation said on Sunday that the facility was a potential hotspot for COVID-19 and tuberculosis (TB) infections.
Some Cape Town councillors tried entering the facility this weekend but were blocked by law enforcement officers.
Doctors Without Borders said that the Strandfontein camp was currently home to 1,500 people.
The organisation’s Gilles van Cutsem said that if anyone were to develop COVID-19 or TB in the camp, the chances of medical staff detecting it early were slim.
“You have up to 600 people in one tent, you have other tents that are smaller, 200 or 300 people, which is still very difficult to maintain properly for prevention and control of infection in those tents.”
At the same time, the Strandfontein Residents Association has laid criminal charges against Mayor Dan Plato and the city for erecting the facility, a decision they said was in direct contravention of COVID-19 regulations.
They also laid a complaint for an alleged decision to refuse them access to the facility.
Mayco member for Safety JP Smith has dismissed their complaint, saying it had no basis.
Over the weekend, law enforcement officials also barred councillors from accessing the facility.
Smith said that the councillors were not granted permission to visit the place.
In other news – She is the best lockdown partner – Actress Letoya Makhene enjoying her new lesbian Bae (Pictures)
If ‘no time to waste’ was people, surely it would be these two as they continue to shower each other with praises of love. It is not long since Letoya came out in public about her new lesbian relationship with Lebohang, and already the two are heads over heels in love.
As the nation settles into the extended period of lockdown, actress Letoya Makhene and her bae Lebohang Keswa are making the most of their quality time together. continue reading
Source: EWN