At present between 150 and 200 can be accommodated with the existing infrastructure.

The existing structures can accommodate between 2 to 12 people respectively, with the youth hostels able to provide overnight facilities for 80.

The once thriving camp site has no electricity and the ablution facilities have been badly vandalized like most of the overnight facilities.
A large number of windows have to be replaced on mostly all buildings.

Some of the buildings’ floors and ceilings are so badly damaged that they also need urgent replacement.

The nature reserve and historical village, was handed back to around 1000 displaced families after a successful land restitution claim in 2005.
The village was maintained by the municipality who owned it since the late 1970’s.

Since handover the stone church, built in the 1860’s, experienced a partial roof collapse, which has been restored.
Other parts of the church roof also now shows signs of imminent collapse.

A hand full of owners reside at Botshabelo, which also impacts available accommodation.

One of the community members told www.mobserver.co.za that they’ve not received any official confirmation that the privately owned village have been earmarked by the Department of Health as quarantine facilities.

The resident said that at present, Botshabelo was unsuitable for habitation, especially for the sick and vulnerable.

According to the department’s Mr Dumisani Malamule, Middelburg presently has no quarantine site, despite earlier confirmation from the municipality that the department had chosen Botshabelo to isolate Covid-19 sufferers.

He told www.mobserver.co.za that only the eMalahleni quarantine site will be available.

The municipality accompanied the department on numerous sites in and around Middelburg before Botshabelo was chosen.

“We take note of the site’s unsuitable condition and want to assure residents that the department will not risk their livelihoods by isolating them at inhabitable accommodations,” Mr Malamule said.

Residents should also note that the majority of residents will be allowed to self isolate at their homes, and that quarantine areas have only been established to accommodate patients in close proximity to others, like the poor living in squatter camps and informal areas.

“Residents in high density areas where infections can spread uncontrolled, will be quarantined, self isolation at home will ease the burden on the health system and is therefore encouraged,” Mr Malamule concluded.