Gauteng prepares for mass burials
Tshwane prepares site
Sites are being prepared for a potential worst-case scenario as Covid-19 infections soar in Gauteng.
The province is on the brink of becoming the new epicentre of the pandemic in SA.
Provincial health MEC Bandile Masuku and officials from the forensic pathology services visited an area reserved for Covid-19 mass burials in Tshwane yesterday.
“For the past two months we have been visiting facilities we will be using as a department. All our municipalities across the province have been preparing land that will be used for burials. We still have a good opportunity to manage how the peak treats us,” Masuku said.
“The statistics have indicated there is a 15%-30% increase in deaths from last year ... we also have other causes of death but we are seeing the pressure in the system generally. We will be going to other parts of the province to make sure this part of the health system is also ready for any eventuality.”
City of Tshwane COO James Murphy said the site was being prepared in case there was a need for mass burials.
“In total, we have more than 200,000 spaces, including normal burial spaces, but our major concern is to prepare for mass burial. Fortunately, as the MEC indicated, the numbers in Tshwane are still very low. We are going to get to a time where we will not be able to do single burials, we are going to have to do mass burials and that would have to be directed by government itself.”