City of Joburg’s Member of Mayoral Committee (MMC) for Health and Social Development, Cllr Eunice Mgcina has commended City employees who are at the forefront in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic.
The City’s Health and Social department has been conducting Covid-19 screenings, testing, medical supply, and providing food relief to the most vulnerable communities in Johannesburg.
The City continues to provide residents in densely populated areas with water, face masks and hand sanitizers to curb the spread of the virus.
Cllr Mgcina says although these are uncertain times, if all municipal employees continue to work as a team, the City and the country as a whole will eventually triumph and beat the pandemic. “I wish to call on all of us to unite our efforts, to be brave and courageous and also to fall back on the knowledge that the City’s 5.6 million citizens need us more than ever before,” she says.
And as scores of City employees return to the office in phased approaches due to the relaxation of lockdown regulations from level 5 to 4, City Manager, Dr Ndivhoniswani Lukhwareni echoes MMC Mgcina.
“A special word of gratitude goes to the hundreds of City employees who have been offering essential services, screening and testing for Covid-19, manning roadblocks, checking for expired food products among retailers, assisting at social grant pay points, cleaning streets, picking up refuse, keeping the lights on, manning call centres, and ensuring that there’s water flowing from our taps during the national lockdown,” says Lukhwareni.
He adds that it’s through the selfless and brave efforts of essential service workers that municipal services do not grind to a halt. “Your actions have not gone unnoticed.”
The City manager stresses that only emergency support staff, those who have been provided with permits by their heads of departments, employees working in the payroll and in some areas of supply chain management and finance are allowed to return to work. “However, hygiene conditions and social distancing still have to be strictly adhered to at all times. All employees who are able to work from home should continue to do so,” he explains.
Cllr Mgcina has also thanked the family members of all City employees for their unwavering and continued support.
The municipality has established a 24-hour Joint Operations Centre (010 224 0932) to assist local residents with any emergencies during the country’s national state of disaster.
Written by Takalani Sioga
