Newcastle Mayor, Dr Ntuthuko Mahlaba has donned his coat to assist fellow doctors at the Newcastle Provincial Hospital recently. He joined thousands of doctors nationally, who reported for duty to fight against the coronavirus.

Cllr Mahlaba wore his medical attire and a stethoscope around his neck, as he interacted with doctors and nurses, and assessed the facilities reserved for patients who may be infected with Covid-19. He urged other qualified medical practitioners and retired medical personnel to lend a helping hand, saying the country needed their services.

“I believe we can defeat this virus, if more people can avail themselves to serve our country and serve the less fortunate. I personally feel very privileged to be able to volunteer and offer my skills for the betterment of my community. However, the community can support this initiative by adhering to the calls by the President [Cyril Ramaphosa] for residents to stay at home. This is a crucial time for the citizens of this country to be united more than ever.”

The Mayor bemoaned the large number of people who continue to roam the streets and converge in large numbers, despite the President’s call for people to practice social distancing until the coronavirus has been eradicated. Cllr Mahlaba believes this could have a detrimental impact on the work of doctors, should the virus spiral out of control. He pleaded with communities to refrain from making unnecessary trips.

“If the virus spreads rapidly, then doctors will have a bigger challenge of servicing a larger populace, which can potentially cause a backlog in hospitals. We don’t want the situation to spiral out of control, and we certainly don’t want to become like other countries who have recorded hundreds of deaths. I strongly believe we can flatten the coronavirus curve. I plead with our people to be responsible so that we can save mankind.”

Meanwhile, Emadlangeni Mayor, Lindile Mhlungu embarked on an initiative to oversee the distribution of social grants at Utrecht pay points. Her intention was to ensure the social grant payout process ran smoothly. Cllr Mhlungu also distributed hand sanitisers, soaps and educational materials to residents in the queues.

She said it was important for the community to adhere to the measures set by Government during the lockdown, especially with ensuring there was a one metre space between all beneficiaries.

“This is why we invited the local hospital school health team to educate people about Covid-19. I want to encourage community members to work together in fighting this disease, by staying at home and only coming to town to do essential shopping, when it’s needed.”

Cllr Mhlungu stated she was impressed with the local SAPS for ensuring visibility in the community. She committed to being at all pay points for the duration of the social grant distribution period, and would continue rolling the programme out in other parts of the municipal area.

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