GWERU residents are on high alert after news filtered through that 18 returnees escaped from Mkoba teachers’ college COVID-19 quarantine centre, amid indications that some of them are ex-convicts from South African prisons.
Gweru Residents and Ratepayers’ Association Director, Mr Cornilia Selipiwe says its high time government puts in place more deterrent measures to safeguard communities against such incidents.
“After having been in lock down for over 60 days, some people decide to escape,” he said.
This will cause unnecessary panic and it is very sad. The president needs to put serious security measures in these quarantine places. We do not want to treat them like prisoners but their behavior is asking for more. It will not be wrong for the president to treat them as prisoners because after all the gains we have made washing our hands and keeping hygienic practices someone decides to run away risking us all and we cannot afford this because this pandemic is serious.”
Midlands Minister of State for Provincial Affairs, Senator Larry Mavhima, however, says the COVID-19 provincial task force is now tightening screws on security matters at quarantine centers.
“I was with the provincial police officer yesterday and he assured me that the place is now secured following the loopholes witnessed recently. We have beefed our security apparatus and we are trying our best to close all our gaps. We will not leave any stone unturned in our endeavor to protect our people from this pandemic,” he said.
The government has put in place measures to contain the spread of the corona virus but returnees who are escaping from quarantine centers are threatening to reverse the strides made in containing the spread of the pandemic.
