POLICE, CHIEF-RUNNERS TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE COMPLY

MBABANE – Police, community police, bagcugcuteli (health motivators), bagijimi (chief-runners) and bobandlancane (inner council) will be dispatched to ensure communities adhere to government’s call of banning gatherings of more than 50 people.

The Minister of Tinkhundla Administration and Development, David ‘Cruiser’ Ngcamphalala, made this pronouncement yesterday during a press briefing which was held at the ministry’s conference room.

Ngcamphalala said government had observed with disappointment the non-adherence by communities that continued with social gatherings as usual. It was reported by various media that some of these gatherings exceeded the stipulated 50 people as advised by the Prime Minister, Ambrose Mandvulo Dlamini, as means of preventing the spread of the coronavirus.

“The nation is urged to comply with the guidelines in order to protect our citizens from the pandemic,” Ngcamphalala said. He said gatherings such as weddings, funerals, community meetings, church services and family meetings were being held without following the government stipulated precautionary measures.

Preventative

The minister said communities were urged to take preventative measures to eliminate transmission of the virus through adhering to the messages currently being run in the media, which included washing of hands regularly with running water and soap, covering mouth when coughing and also to avoid  shaking hands and hugging and touching  the face. Others are maintaining a distance of at least one to two meters from each other, all public and private gatherings attracting 50 or more people are suspended and those who have flu- like symptoms to contact the nearest health centres.

Meanwhile, Hhohho Regional Administrator Princess Tsandzile said a meeting with all chiefs in the country would be scheduled soon to pass on the message because community members were overlooking the precautions by government.
According to Princess Tsandzile, the Hhohho Region has been divided into two as they would be meeting Hhohho North chiefs next week Thursday, while they will visit Hhohho South on Friday.

She said they wanted to make sure that all the chiefs received the announcement. The regional administrator said they would be accompanied by health officials to explain the status quo.

Message

On another hand, Shiselweni Regional Commander Wendy Hleta said police were trying by all means to send the message through to the nation and that they were not waging war but ensuring their safety. Hleta said should they find gatherings exceeding 50 people they would stop them. She said people could visit the nearest police station to seek guidance when they want to conduct gatherings. Hleta said mostly they encouraged that senior members of the family be represented during gatherings. 

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