July 10, 2020 - Solidariteit Beweging

The Solidarity Movement today called for urgent investigation into possible irregularities regarding the issuing of any tenders to dig graves in Gauteng. This comes after it was revealed that the Gauteng Health MEC, Dr Bandile Masuku, in preparation on Covid-19 deaths, identified space for approximately 1,5 million graves and started digging it.

Flip Buys, Head of the Solidarity Movement, says that although the increase of Covid-19 deaths in this province should not be taken lightly, the assumption that there must be prepared for 1,5 million deaths – three times more than that of the entire world thus far – in this province alone, is absolutely absurd. “The first predictions which prompted South Africa to impose a national lockdown, estimated that the country in its entirety could have, at worst, 351 000 deaths due to Covid-19. However, these predictions were made before much was known about the virus and the trends. The Department of Health, in collaboration with medical experts’ own predictions was later adjusted to a possible worst-case scenario of 48 000 deaths nationwide by November this year. This possible worst-case scenario is far removed from what the Gauteng government now outlines for the single province,” said Buys.

According to Buys, this action by the Gauteng Health MEC raises many questions. “If the Department of Health itself predicts that South Africa could have, at worst, 48 000 deaths nationwide, it is outrageous to think that Gauteng should prepare itself for 1,5 million deaths, which make up about 10% of the province’s total population. Due to the massive difference between what is being predicted by the Department and what the Gauteng government is preparing for, it is extremely important to thoroughly investigate this project and the possible tenders associated with it,” said Buys.

According to Buys, actions such as these may lead to unnecessary panic and anxiety in the province while it is by no means based on any facts. “If the MEC predicts that there will be so many deaths in the Gauteng province he must be able to substantiate it by disclosing empirical facts. If not, he is acting irresponsibly,” said Buys.

Buys concluded that the Gauteng government’s seeming response to the pandemic is cynical seeing that they are rather providing mass graves instead of hospital beds. “The initial reason for the lockdown was to add more hospital beds, yet with more than 100 days in lockdown only approximately 400 hospital beds were added,” said Buys.

Die Solidariteit Beweging het vandag versoek dat daar dringend ondersoek ingestel word na moontlike ongerymdhede in die uitreiking van enige tenders om grafte in Gauteng te grawe. Dit volg nadat dit aan die lig gekom het dat die Gautengse LUR vir gesondheid, dr.Bandile Masuku, ter voorbereiding op Covid-19-sterftes in dié provinsie, plek vir sowat 1,5 miljoen grafte geïdentifiseer en sommige begin grou het.

Flip Buys, voorsitter van die Solidariteit Beweging, sê dat hoewel die styging in Covid-19-sterftes in dié provinsie nie lig opgeneem moet word nie, is die veronderstelling absoluut absurd dat daar slegs in dié enkele provinsie vir 1,5 miljoen sterftes – drie keer meer as die aantal sterftes in die hele wêreld tot dusver – gereed gemaak moet word. “Die eerste voorspellings, wat Suid-Afrika genoop het om die nasionale inperking in te stel, het geraam dat die land as ’n geheel ten slegste sowat 351 000 sterfgevalle weens Covid-19 kan hê. Hierdie voorspellings is egter gemaak voordat daar baie oor die virus en neigings bekend was. Die departement van gesondheid, in samewerking met mediese kenners, se eie vooruitskattings is egter later aangepas na ’n moontlike slegste scenario van sowat 48 000 sterftes landswyd teen November vanjaar. Hierdie moontlike slegste scenario is ver verwyderd van dít wat die Gautengse regering nou vir die een enkele provinsie uitstip,” het Buys gesê.

Volgens Buys laat hierdie aksie deur die Gautengse LUR baie vrae ontstaan. “Indien die departement van gesondheid self voorspel dat Suid-Afrika ten slegste 48 000 sterftes landswyd kan hê, is dit verregaande dat Gauteng homself moet voorberei op 1,5 miljoen sterftes wat sowat 10% van dié provinsie se totale bevolking uitmaak. Weens die massiewe verwydering tussen dit wat deur die departement voorspel word en dit wat die Gautengse regering op voorberei, is dit dus uiters belangrik om hierdie projek en die moontlike tenders wat daarmee gepaard gaan deeglik te ondersoek,” het Buys gesê.

Volgens Buys kan aksies soos hierdie voorts tot onnodige paniek en angs in die provinsie lei terwyl dit geensins op enige feite gebaseer is nie. “Indien die LUR vir gesondheid voorspel dat daar soveel sterftes in die Gauteng-provinsie gaan wees moet hy dit kan staaf deur empiriese feite bekend te maak. Indien nié, is hy besig om onverantwoordelik op te tree,” het Buys gesê.

Buys stel ten slotte dat dit sinies is van die Gautengse regering dat hulle antwoord op die pandemie blyk te wees om massagrafte te voorsien in plaas van hospitaalbeddens. “Aanvanklik was die rede vir die nasionale inperking dat daar meer hospitaalbeddens bygevoeg moet word, maar met meer as 100 dae van inperking is daar nasionaal slegs sowat 400 hospitaalbeddens bygevoeg,” het Buys gesê.