Collins Chabane mayor says people should change their behavior in fight against corona pandemic

Our behavior is not helping matters in fight against Covid-19 pandemic

Collins Chabane mayor warns of gloomy future if people ignore Convid -19 regulations

Benson Ntlemo

Collins Chabane Local Municipality mayor Moses Maluleke has warned that the Convid -19 pandemic will cause havoc in our society unless people changed their behavior.

Addressing the Gidjana Traditional Council on Friday, the mayor implored Hosi Busa Nxumalo and his council to work in unison with the Vhembe Command Council in the fight against the pandemic.

“We have not yet reached the peak of the pandemic and our behavior as members of the community is not helping matters, “said the mayor.
He and Malamulele Station commander Colonel Kanelani Edison Rikhotso were representing the Vhembe Regional Command Council led by Vhembe District Executive mayor Dowelani Nenguda.

Members of the command council are visiting traditional councils amid complaints that lockdown is being ignored in many areas under traditional leaders.

There are claims that masks are not worn, beer is sold and youngsters play soccer in streets and sports grounds as if no lockdown has been declared.
Said the mayor: “I am addressing you as a representative of the Vhembe Command Council. I am going to be quick as we are not allowed to take a long time as per the regulations.”

He told the local traditional leader, the council and the local structures that he was asking them to help make the communities follow the regulations as set by the national command council chaired by state president Cyril Ramaphosa.

He said the nation was not yet at the peak of the pandemic but at the start and the conduct of the people was worrying.

He went on to list issues that should be enforced in areas under the traditional leaders which are a cause for concern.

These are:

• Fifty people at funerals be it when receiving the corpse, during service or at graveyard.
• There should be no soccer being played in streets or soccer grounds.
• Churches should be having 50 participants for 1 hour service.
• Beer sales and distribution is outlawed.
• Spaza shops should use the right sanitizers and temperature scanners.
• The traditional council was urged to work with structures of the community at all times.

Hosi Nxumalo to work closely with the command council to fight the pandemic.

“We as the Didjana Traditional Council are committing ourselves to work with the Vhembe Command Council to fight the pandemic,”said Hosi Magona.

He said the traditional council will conscientise and persuades community members to comply with the regulations. “We all have a role to play to fight the pandemic, “he said.