OR Tambo district municipality mayor Thokozile Sokanyile said the six family members had opted to remain at home instead of being isolated at a health facility.
''We have not given up but continue trying to persuade them on how all of them, their families and relatives as well as the community, could equally benefit by us sending them to a health facility to avoid transmission of the virus,'' said Sokhanyile.
Due to the vast and rough terrain in parts of Majola, some villagers will be required to converge at a school where testing and screening will take place. Officials will also be going door-to-door.
Nkosi Nolundi Meji, a traditional leader of Machibini, which falls under Majola, was angry that teams had only been dispatched to the area on Thursday.
''I was expecting, according to the agreement, that the officials will arrive on Tuesday but I was told that they could not visit the area because it was raining. However, cars were coming and going to our area, and even taxis were travelling so I don't know why government cars could not travel.
“We are not dealing with a normal situation, but a crisis, it is an outbreak that can easily become catastrophic. We are not all working together and moving with speed,'' said Meji.
She fears the number of positive cases will increase.
''There were two other big funerals — on March 28 and April 4 — all in Machibini. Our residents and [those] from neighbouring villages or around Port St Johns attended all three funerals and ever since they have been in contact with many other people. It is my solemn prayer that the numbers remain at six, but I fear an outbreak.”
Meji also raised concerns about access to a clean water supply, saying seven of the 10 villages within her jurisdiction drew water from rivers and shared water sources with animals.
She also urged the health department to make results of the mass testing known soon and for those who test positive to be sent to hospital for isolation.
Health teams arrive for mass testing in PSJ
Image: GALLO IMAGES/AFP/BERND THISSEN
Eight teams of health officials have been dispatched to the 22 villages of Majola in Port St Johns to conduct mass screening and testing.
The drive comes after six family members from one of the villages tested positive for Covid-19. Fourteen of their relatives are awaiting results. The family members were among hundreds of mourners who attended a funeral on March 21.
However, a traditional leader from the area feared the number of infections could be more as there were two other funerals in the area just days later.
Judy Ngoloyi, spokesperson for health MEC Sindiswa Gomba, confirmed on Thursday that a seventh Covid-19 case has been reported in the OR Tambo district.
''There are 88 cases in BCM, 69 in Nelson Mandela Bay, 20 in Chris Hani, 11 in Sarah Baartman, seven in OR Tambo and four in Amathole. The overall provincial picture is now 199,'' said Ngoloyi.
Hundreds at risk as PSJ family and EL attendees contract Covid-19 after funeral
OR Tambo district municipality mayor Thokozile Sokanyile said the six family members had opted to remain at home instead of being isolated at a health facility.
''We have not given up but continue trying to persuade them on how all of them, their families and relatives as well as the community, could equally benefit by us sending them to a health facility to avoid transmission of the virus,'' said Sokhanyile.
Due to the vast and rough terrain in parts of Majola, some villagers will be required to converge at a school where testing and screening will take place. Officials will also be going door-to-door.
Nkosi Nolundi Meji, a traditional leader of Machibini, which falls under Majola, was angry that teams had only been dispatched to the area on Thursday.
''I was expecting, according to the agreement, that the officials will arrive on Tuesday but I was told that they could not visit the area because it was raining. However, cars were coming and going to our area, and even taxis were travelling so I don't know why government cars could not travel.
“We are not dealing with a normal situation, but a crisis, it is an outbreak that can easily become catastrophic. We are not all working together and moving with speed,'' said Meji.
She fears the number of positive cases will increase.
''There were two other big funerals — on March 28 and April 4 — all in Machibini. Our residents and [those] from neighbouring villages or around Port St Johns attended all three funerals and ever since they have been in contact with many other people. It is my solemn prayer that the numbers remain at six, but I fear an outbreak.”
Meji also raised concerns about access to a clean water supply, saying seven of the 10 villages within her jurisdiction drew water from rivers and shared water sources with animals.
She also urged the health department to make results of the mass testing known soon and for those who test positive to be sent to hospital for isolation.
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