The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Gauteng is extremely concerned that the Gauteng Provincial Government has no plan in place to deal with the spike in Covid-19 infections that may occur as many residents return from their holiday destinations.
Furthermore, it is worrying that the Provincial Command Council (PCC) has postponed this week’s meeting indefinitely given that the province is currently one of the Covid hotspots in the country with 315738 positive cases reported on 7th January. It is therefore imperative that a solid plan to deal with the spike in infections is put into place as soon as possible.
In addition, hospitals like Chris Hani Baragwanath and Steve Biko are filled to capacity with Covid-19 patients and cannot cope with a further influx of patients.
By August/September last year, 2000 new beds should have been built in existing hospitals, which would have helped ease the pressure on the hospitals which are currently under pressure.
Undertakers in the province are also under pressure due to the Covid-19 pandemic and are running out of space to store bodies.
The DA is also calling on the Premier and the PCC to release a list of all the hotspots in Gauteng, so that residents can take the necessary precautions. I have already requested a meeting with Premier Makhura to get clarity on the plans that will be put in place to deal with the Covid-19 pandemic as well as to ascertain the status of the additional 2000 beds as well as the Nasrec field hospital.
Another hard lockdown is not option as our economy cannot afford it and the DA is appealing to members of the public to follow all the Covid-19 safety protocols that have been put in place – wear a mask when going out at all times and wash or sanitize your hands regularly.