Today, 25 May 2020 is the 60th day since the start of the Lockdown as announced by the President of South Africa, Mr. Cyril Ramaphosa. As a town, we were very happy with the slow increase of positive cases. Unfortunately, this situation began to change after the allowed 7 day period in which people could travel between towns, metros and provinces.

In the last week (May 14 – May 24, 2020) positive cases in our town increased from three to Nine (9). Of these, 3 cases were completely recovered with 6 active numbers. The current trend shows that Oudtshoorn is exposed to more positive reports in the foreseeable future.

Since the announcement of the move to Alert Level 4, we have experienced the return of workers to their respective places of employment, which means that for their own sake, as well as that of their colleagues’ and families’ to do self-assess at least twice a day.

Many of our workers are essential workers, some are required to serve at accident scenes, others ensure our environment is kept clean, service delivery to the community continues.

Similarly, our town’s key staffs in hospitals, clinics, pharmacies, Emergency Rescue Services, Correctional Services, SAPS, SANDF and many others in stores etc. provides essential services. For the sake of continuing to provide essential services to the community, these workers continue to provide service to us, at the expense of their own health and those of their families, 

As a community, we also have a responsibility to those people. The responsibility to protect them as we protect ourselves in the process rests in the compliance with the measures announced by the President.

Without being a prophet of doom, I want to underline the seriousness of the virus. The peak of the virus is expected in November 2020. The forecast indicates that we will have about 40,000 deaths in South Africa by that time. This expected forecast alone should give us an indication and encourage us to ensure that we stay within the measures.

We are now beginning to experience more that with the increase in numbers that our circle of friends, our family and in our cases our children are being affected.

As Council of the Greater Oudtshoorn, we appeal to our community to:

• Wear masks when in public
• Maintain social distance
• Wash hands with water and soap or alternatively with hand sanitizer

VANAF DIE BURGEMEESTER OOR COVID-19

Sedert die aanvang van die Grendel Tydperk (lockdown) soos aangekondig deur die President van Suid Afrika, mnr Cyril Ramaphosa is vandag, 25 Mei 2020, die 60ste dag van die tydperk. As dorp, was ons baie gelukkig met die stadige toename van positiewe identifikasies. Hierdie situasie het ongelukkig n verandering begin toon na die toegelate 7 dae tydperk waarin persone kon reis tuseen dorpe, metro’s en provinsies.

In die laaste week (14 – 24 Mei 2020) het positiewe aanmeldings in ons dorp toegeneem vanaf drie tot nege. Hiervan is 3 perosne volkome herstel met 6 aktiewe getalle. Die huidige tendens toon dat Oudtshoorn in die afsienbare toekoms blootgestel is aan meer positiewe aanmeldings.

Sedert die aankondiging van die verskuiwing na Alert Level 4 ervaar ons die terugkeer van werkers na hul onderskeie plekke van indiensneming wat meebring dat hulle vir hul eie onthalwe, asook die van hul kollegas en gesinne om ten minste twee keer per dag ‘n self assessering te doen.

Talle van ons werkers is essensiele werkers, van sommige word vereis om diens te doen by ongelukstonele, ander verseker dat ons omgewing skoon gehou word, dienslewering aan die gemeenskap voortgaan.

Net so is daar ons dorp se sleutel personeel in hospitale, klinieke, apteke, Noodreddingsdienste, Korrektiewe Dienste, SAPS, SANDF en vele ander in winkels ens wat noodsaaklike dienste lewer. Ter wille van die voortsetting van essensiele dienste aan die gemeenskap gaan diegene voort om diens aan ons te lewer, ten koste van hul eie gesondheid en die van hul gesinne wat hulle in gevaar stel.

As ‘n gemeeskap het ons ook ‘n verantwoordelikheid teenoor daardie persone. Hierdie verantwoordelikheid om hulle te beskerm soos ons in die proses ons self beskerm berus in die nakoming van die maatreels soos deur die President aangekondig.

Sonder om doem profeet te wees wil ek die erns van die virus onderstreep. Die hoogtepunt van die virus word verwag in November 2020. Die vooruitskatting dui daarop dat ons teen daardie tyd ongeveer 40 000 sterftes in Suid Afrika sal hê. Hierdie verwagte vooruitskatting alleen behoort ons ‘n aanduiding te gee en ons elkeen aan te spoor om toe te sien dat ons binne die maatreëls bly.

Van ons begin nou meer ervaar dat met die styging in getalle dat ons vriendekring, ons familie en in gevalle ons kinders daardeur geraak begin word.

Hiermee doen ons as raad van Oudtshoorn ‘n beroep op ons gemeenskap om:

• Maskers te dra wanneer ons in die openbaar verskyn
• Sosiale afstand te behou
• Hande te was met water en seep of as alternatief met “hand sanitiser”