EMS, vaccine sites affected by violence amid safety concerns

Monday, July 12, 2021

The Gauteng Provincial Government says vaccination sites in those areas affected by sporadic acts of violence and lawlessness have had to be temporarily closed due to safety concerns by both the staff and members of the public.

In a statement on Monday, the provincial government said the current volatile environment has seen people of Gauteng struggling to get to their places of employment due to limited access and services being disrupted across the province.

“To this end, some provincial government services including vaccination sites in the affected areas had to be temporarily closed due to safety concerns by both the staff and members of the public.

“Emergency Medical Services (EMS) teams are equally experiencing difficulty in responding to distress calls in communities due to limited access,” it said.

The situation is being assessed by the provincial law enforcement agencies who are to be assisted by the South African National Defence Force (SANDF).

“As Gauteng and the country are still in the midst of a deadly pandemic, the provincial government remains concerned at the potential spread of COVID-19 during such super-spreader events. Hospital admissions continue to increase and are placing a heavy strain on the healthcare system in both public and private sectors.”

The provincial government has appealed to the people of Gauteng to act responsibly and desist from lawless acts that result in disruptions of much needed services by the citizens of Gauteng. – SAnews.gov.za