Image: Jozef Polc/123rf.com
A major retailer at the Mthatha Plaza closed its doors to shoppers on Monday amid claims of a suspected coronavirus case.
It is the second store in the OR Tambo region to have closed its doors after an employee at the Port St Johns SuperSpar tested positive last week.
The store, one of the biggest retailers in the town, has been closed since last Thursday, according to one employee. It remained shut on Monday.
DispatchLIVE visited Mthatha Plaza, where shoppers were prevented from entering Checkers.
Security personnel at the front entrance of the shopping centre had their hands full redirecting shoppers and employees of other stores to use a back entrance.
Only Checkers employees were allowed to use the main entrance.
Workers who spoke to DispatchLIVE said there was a suspected coronavirus case at the store.
Those who work different shifts or were off were called to report to the store on Monday morning.
By 8am, workers had assembled outside the store. At 11am they were allowed inside. Nurses were reportedly expected to screen and test all workers.
One employee said: “I was called in the morning and told we must all report to the office. They said management would like to talk to everyone because there is an emergency.”
The staffer said when she arrived at the store, colleagues were saying someone had tested positive.
DispatchLIVE called centre management of the Mthatha Plaza and was given a number for communication services.
However, there was no response. DispatchLIVE also made several attempts to contact Checkers but calls went unanswered.
The closure of retail outlets come as the number of positive coronavirus cases in the OR Tambo increased to 101, with two deaths recorded.
The suspected third death — that of 71-year old woman in one of the villages around Mthatha — is yet to be confirmed by health minister Zweli Mkhize.
According to her family, the woman died last Wednesday at Mthatha General Hospital. A private burial was held on Sunday morning.
OR Tambo district municipal spokesperson Zimkhita Macingwane said the mayor, Thokozile Sokhanyile, and district command council were concerned about the high rate of infections.
“For now, we have 101 Covid-19 cases, two deaths and 53 recoveries. We hope we will have more recoveries,” Macingwane said.
She said Port St Johns remained the epicentre of the outbreak in the district. However, she said Nyandeni, which includes Libode and Ngqeleni, was another hotspot in the district.
“Now the OR Tambo district command council will sit this week in Port St Johns to see how it can assist in Port St Johns,” Macingwane said.
The provincial health department on Sunday confirmed that the Port St Johns SuperSpar employee had tested positive for Covid-19 after coming into contact with a person linked to a Majola village funeral.
The funeral, which took place on March 21, accounts for a large number of people in the province testing positive for the virus.
Sokhanyile visited the area on Sunday and donated 150 masks, 100 25l buckets, six 500l water tanks, 100 bars of soap and 200 bottles of household detergents.