Video

GRAAFF-REINET NEWS AND VIDEO - The Graaff-Reinet SAPS are slowly but surely returning homeless people to the Alexander Laing Community Hall for safekeeping, as a Covid-19 prevention measure.

On Friday 27 March, approximately 30 people were taken there for safekeeping, but after their first meal, they left the hall to go back to the streets.

Gift of the Givers coordinator, Corene Conradie, and ward councillor Glenda Mackelina, are hard at work to make the hall more than a place of safekeeping during the 21-day lockdown.

Except for daily food donations from Gift of the Givers, books, magazines and even games have been put in the hall for the people to stay entertained.

On Monday Mackelina encouraged the 13 new temporary residents to keep themselves busy by reading and playing games.

The police agreed to first take drunk people they pick up to the police cells, where they will stay until they are sober.

Then they are taken to the hall, where a security guard and other roleplayers look after and keep an eye on them.

Captain Bradley Rawlinson, spokesperson of the Graaff-Reinet SAPS, made it clear that the police will not tolerate anyone living on the street and that offenders will be arrested.

Watch a video below:

Councillor Glenda Mackelina speaking to the people who are assisting her, as well as the homeless. Photos: Christo Vermaak

Dear reader, As your local news provider, we have the duty of keeping you factually informed on Covid-19 developments. As you may have noticed, mis- and disinformation (also known as “fake news”) is circulating online. Group Editors (publications and online platforms) is determined to filter through the masses of information doing the rounds and to separate truth from untruth in order to keep you adequately informed. Local newsrooms follow a strict pre-publication fact-checking protocol. A national task team has been established to assist in bringing you credible news reports on Covid-19.

'We bring you the latest Graaff-Reinet, Karoo news'