Times Of Swaziland: RESIDENTS’ TASK TEAM TO ENFORCE REGULATIONS

RESIDENTS’ TASK TEAM TO ENFORCE REGULATIONS
================================================================================
BY JOSEPH ZULU  on 13/01/2021 00:08:00


MHLANGATANE – “If we don’t protect ourselves, no one will.”
This is a stance by residents of an area known as Ndvwabangeni around
Mhlangatane. They have resolved to enforce the recommended health measures to
prevent the spread of COVID-19, such as sanitising as well as wearing of the
masks in public places.
Ndvwabangeni is an area near the borderline of South Africa (SA) and is situated
under Mhlangatane Inkhundla.
A task force, which also includes community police members, has been established
to move from one shop to another, as well as monitor public places to ensure
that individuals not wearing masks are turned back. Shop attendants who were
found not wearing face masks were also ordered to do so or close their shops.
Recommended
The task force also monitors areas such as dip tanks to ensure that people who
drive cattle there, follow the recommended prevention measures of curbing the
spread of the virus.
Victor Mahlalela, who oversees the task team, said the measures were being
enforced because some residents seemed to have relaxed. He said some residents
were of the view that the COVID-19 pandemic was a hoax. He said such individuals
deliberately refused to wear face masks because they did not believe that
COVID-19 was real. “We cannot afford to take a chance and allow people to roam
around freely without masks,” said Mahlalela.
He said there were about seven community police members working with the
residents to enforce the COVID-19 regulations. He said it was not always
possible for police officers from Buhleni or Tshaneni to reach the area and
monitor social distancing or wearing of masks.
Compliance
Mahlalela said many people were turned back at dip tanks if found not in
compliance with the COVID-19 guidelines. He recalled an incident where a man was
ordered to leave his cattle behind and go fetch a mask.
He said they were also monitoring gatherings in the area to ensure that people
complied.
He revealed that the task force was strict with shop owners and ensured that
they did not allow people without masks to enter or buy goods. “If we do not
find a sign stating that ‘no mask, no entry’ we demand that they display
it,” said Mahlalela.
Mandlenkosi Gumedze, who is the Indvuna of the area, said they were also
concerned about people who did not follow the recommended regulations. He said
he would also monitor to ensure that this was followed.  Meanwhile, around
Ndlalambi under Timphisini Inkhundla, there were also concerns that residents
were also not wearing masks in public places. They also expressed concern that
even in some shops, people shopped freely without a care that they were not
wearing them.
A resident, Jennifer Du Pont, who is also the former Member of Parliament (MP)
of the area, expressed her concern about this.
She said people did not take the pandemic seriously and that they roamed around
in public places without masks. She said this was also the case in some shops
where attendants served them without wearing masks.