Update

JANSENVILLE NEWS - Ongoing protests in Jansenville against the presence of an Aberdeen man with Covid-19 at the SAWAS hospital escalated on Tuesday 26 May.

Last Saturday, many residents took to the streets to protest against the imminent arrival of the patient, who needed to be isolated despite having no symptoms of the disease. 

Hospital staff were concerned that the hospital was not ready to receive a patient with the virus, and an agreement was made that a meeting would be held on Monday morning, allowing time for the hospital to complete preparations. The community members were calmed after a promise from one of the leaders that "no patients related to Covid-19 will be transported from the one town to another."

Late on Monday afternoon, the patient arrived at the hospital. By early evening, protests had started in the town. Tyres were set alight as a large crowd gathered outside the hospital. Local councillor Abraham Arries said that he did not know who was behind the protests, and as far as he was aware, the problems had been resolved and the concerns of the community addressed.

In response to this unrest, SAPS and SANDF members were deployed on Tuesday morning to monitor the situation outside the hospital.

"This follows after a group of community members who had gathered in front of the hospital last night indicated that they will come back in the morning to demand an address by the hospital CEO," said Brigadier Vish Naidoo, National Spokesperson for SAPS.

Tensions were high, and at one stage the police and SANDF opened fire on the crowd with rubber bullets.

On Tuesday morning, people started gathering outside the hospital in the cold from as early as 6am. Six local councillors went into the hospital to talk to the CEO, Gillian January, accompanied by members of SAPS. According to Cllr Wilton le Grange, January would only speak with Cllrs Arries and Vanda, and Arries then spoke with the District Manager, who was adamant that the patient would not be moved.

Tensions were high, and Le Grange said that after giving the crowd a warning to settle, the police and SANDF opened fire on the crowd with rubber bullets.

For several hours, the R75 through the town was closed due to burning tyres and rocks on the road. Trucks heading towards Graaff-Reinet mostly turned around and diverted along the gravel road through Klipplaat and Aberdeen.

Protesters went through the town, setting fires all over and stoning the police. Public Order Police arrived from Port Elizabeth, and according to Le Grange, at least six people were hit by rubber bullets.

Brig Naidoo told the Advertiser at 5pm that six suspects, aged between 20 and 45, had so far been arrested for holding an illegal gathering.

Just before 7pm, the R75 was reopened, but members of the community were still rampaging through the township. Rumours that some residents opened fire on the police could not be confirmed.

During the day there had been many calls for either the mayor or the municipal manager to go to Jansenville to mediate, but it was left to District Mayor Eunice Kekana to meet with the CEO of the hospital in the evening. According to Arries, Kekana managed to convince the CEO to send the patient to Midland Hospital in Graaff-Reinet.

The Department of Health did not respond to questions as to why the patient was not sent to Midland Hospital in the first place, as it is the designated facility in the Dr Beyers Naudé Local Municipality.

For several hours, the R75 through the town was closed due to burning tyres and rocks on the road.