Dumped Covid-19 protective gear found in Centurion river
Personal protective equipment (PPE), including latex gloves and face masks, have been discovered floating in a river which passes through Irene in Centurion.
The protective gear was discovered floating in a river on Sunday.
Acting Gauteng Health MEC Jacob Mamabolo visited the scene and said that a criminal investigation has been launched by the police.
The National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union (Nehawu) says the equipment could have been thrown into the river by a so-called covidpreneur.
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“Recently, there has been an upsurge in the number of tenderpreneurs who produce PPEs and benefitting from the outbreak of the virus while producing low quality work, including sanitisers, that do not contain the recommended minimum of 70% alcohol,” says the union’s general-secretary Zola Saphetha.
“Our members and workers have been complaining of poor quality PPEs which increases the danger of them contracting the virus.”
“In this regard, we call on the government and the South African Bureau of Standards to pay extra attention on the quality of PPEs given to frontline workers and to prosecute those found to be benefiting from supplying low quality work which can result in a serious health threat during this pandemic.”