Returning Western Cape students give Mthatha residents the jitters

The provincial government moved swiftly to relocate a group of university students from two Mthatha guesthouses on Monday after they arrived from the Western Cape at the weekend.

Residents living in Stanley Nelson Drive complained that the students presented a health risk in the area because they were “roaming around the streets”. 

The students, who are believed to number about 70, arrived in three buses from the Western Cape on Saturday, but the vehicles were stopped at roadblocks, forcing the youngsters to disembark.  

Because the students had arrived from the Western Cape — a province with a relatively high incidence of Covid-19 infections  — Mthatha residents said they should have been confined to their rooms.  

The provincial public works department confirmed on Monday that the students had since left the guesthouses.

Mthatha advocate Vusumzi Msiwa said the officials responsible for returning the students should have informed residents of the arrangement.

''We do not know why these children are housed here.

“We were observing the 21-day lockdown [protocols] and nobody was going out, but to our surprise we found a group of noisy children roaming our streets, and later in guesthouses in our neighbourhood,” Msiwa said.

“We cannot act irresponsibly and keep quiet while our rights are being stamped on.

“We need to stand up and ensure the safety of our families and neighbours.

“It is pity that we had to call government leaders and officials as well as police, but we have been sent from pillar to post.”

A guesthouse owner, Kelly Mthembu, said she had declined to accommodate the students but was later informed that other establishments had agreed to house them.

''I cannot put money before life. I needed money desperately and to have 48 people would have been good money, but I treasure the lives of people more than money.

“I am complying with Covid-19 regulations and heeding the call of President Cyril Ramaphosa to lock down.

“I want the virus to be dealt with and not be spread.

“I feel sorry for the students and we are not labelling them, but we should be very cautious,'' Mthembu said.

Public works spokesperson Sisanda George confirmed that the accommodation arrangement had been made by his department.

''There were 48 people in the three buses which were travelling from Western Cape.

“The buses were stopped at a roadblock in Mthatha [and] were then grounded.

“They [the students] were housed in two B&Bs in Mthatha from Saturday and checked out today [Monday]. This is just precautionary measure,'' George said.

Dr Mbuyiselo Madiba, of the Nelson Mandela Academic Hospital, was among the health officials who assisted the students to leave the guesthouses on Monday.

''These children have not tested positive for Covid-19.

“There is no risk of anyone being infected. We apologise for poor communication from our side.

“These children will be taken to the health resource centre at the hospital, from where they will be taken to their families,'' Madiba said.

None of the students wanted to comment.

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