THE OUDTSHOORN MUNICIPALITY is one of two Western Cape beneficiaries that received Covid-19 personal protective equipment (PPE) from the South African Local Government Association (SALGA) last week.
Chris Macpherson, Executive Mayor of the Greater Oudtshoorn, welcomed the donation du-ring a special ceremony that took place outside the Oudtshoorn Municipal headquarters on Wednesday, 10 February.
The PPE is intended to benefit frontline workers responsible for the provision of essential services and included disposable coveralls, disposable gowns, surgical gloves as well as heavy-duty gloves.
Macpherson thanked SALGA for choosing the Greater Oudtshoorn as one of the two beneficiaries in the Western Cape, alongside with Theewaters-kloof Municipality.
“We are sincerely grateful for this gesture; as we continue our battle against Covid-19, it is important that we strive to root out this pandemic and protect those that are in the frontline of this fight,” Macpherson said. “This PPE will certainly mini-mise the risk of any official being infected with Covid-19,” he added.
In addition to the PPE, SALGA in partnership with the European Union donated 15 tablets to the Municipality to assist and improve engagement with its communities and organisations.
“Since the arrival of Covid-19, engagements with communities have been limited. The tablets we have received today from SALGA will be utilised to minimise communication barriers with our stakeholders, businesses, community organisations and the public, as they remain our primary priority. We are happy that we will be in a position to continue communicating effectively with our communities,” Macpherson said.
“It is a privilege for SALGA – as the sphere of government closest to the communities, to be able to contribute towards curbing the spread of Covid-19, by ensuring that essential workers in our municipalities are able to protect themselves,” said Khalil Mullagie, Provincial Director of Operations, SALGA Western Cape.
According to Mullagie, the Greater Oudtshoorn has been chosen following a prioritisation process that was followed by SALGA in identifying appropriate beneficiaries for the donation. “The Greater Oudtshoorn is one of the local municipalities in the Garden Route District, which was declared as a Covid-19 hotspot,” he added.
Oudtshoorn has had 236 (as of 15 February) deaths since the arrival of the pandemic last year; four of these are municipal workers.
“These statistics show that, as much as the rate of infections and active cases are on the decline, the threat of the presence of Covid-19 still remains. I urge that everyone should continue doing their best to adhere to all restrictions,” Macpherson concluded.
Oudtshoorn receives Covid PPE donation
At the handover of PPE donations was, at the back from left, Fostino Lamont, Yolandie Campher, Marinda de Villiers and Sanie September - all workers at the Municipal Community Ser-vices Department. Front, from left, is Reginald Smit, Acting Municipal Manager, Chris Mac- pherson, Executive Mayor of the Greater Oudtshoorn, Khalil Mullagie, Director of Operations, SALGA Western Cape, and Armstrong Mpela, Senior Advisor: Intergovernmental Relations – SALGA. (Photo supplied)