EFF statement on coronavirus outbreak

5 March 2020

The EFF has noted the decision to evacuate 184 South Africans from Wuhan City, China where the Corona virus was first detected. The safety of South Africans across the world must be a priority of all of our embassies, and all efforts must be made to identify any citizens who are in China in particular.

We have further noted the reporting of the first Corona Virus case in South Africa, in the rovince of Kwazulu — Natal. We call for calm from all citizens but more especially we call on all media houses to report responsibly around the matter and be careful not to create panic and hysteria in the country.

The Corona virus poses a threat to all nations of the world and all efforts to maintain the outbreak must be led by health professionals who specialise in infectious diseases. It is therefore concerning that in South Africa the matter Seems to be handled by politicians. The Minister of Health and related departments do have a critical role to play in containing the outbreak in the country, evacuating South Africans frorn affected nations and easing the anxieties of South Africans, however these departments do not have the competency to lead efforts against a disease of this nature.

Healthcare and healthcare messaging must never be politicised as it has the possibility to have important interventions and awareness compromised for the interests of politicians and political parties. It should be the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICO) which should be the face of the response to this epidemic. It is them who should be explaining exactly what the virus is, how it spreads and coordinating a wide public healthcare campaign.

The evacuation of South Africans from Wuhan has come far too late, but further to this there seems to be no coherent or adequate plan on how to treat those 184 South Africans who have been evacuated. To place them under quarantine in Free State, a province known to have gross maladministration at a level of governance, water availability and health is a senseless decision. In the event of complications or a need for specialists who are based in metropolitans, Free State will not be an ideal location to assist these citizens. If truly we are ready as South Africa to deal with the Corona virus outbreak, Johannesburg which is the biggest entry point in the country and the most well-resourced metropole should be where any citizens who are possibly affected are hosted. 

The people of South Africa are simply not being taken into confidence and there are no contingency plans for complications or possibilities. South Africans do not know where to go should one experience symptoms of the Corona virus and what the procedure will be when one presents themselves with a case.

To make matters worse, the collapse of our public healthcare system means that the state will be forced to utilise the private health care sector at a high cost. This is an eventuality that comes as a result Of the incapacity of the state at a primary, secondary and tertiary healthcare level.

The state needs to allow the NICO to lead a widespread public information campaign on the Corona virus and allow industry experts to lead a coherent health management plan. We need decisive and capacitated leadership if we are to manage the outbreak effectively and ease the anxieties of ordinary South Africans.

As the EFF we further propose the following steps to be taken immediately to address the emerging reality of Corona Virus in South Africa;

1. The Minister together with the Minister of Water and Sanitation must devise an emergency plan on how to ensure that clean water is accessible to everybody. You cannot teach people about hygiene as a preventative measure when some of our clinics, hospitals, schools, villages and townships have a water crisis.

2. Primary healthcare workforce, community healthcare workers, must be trained for detection mechanisms. It will be a huge disgrace for the country that the very people tasked with easing health catastrophes, will also be at risk of infection and then not be able to deliver primary healthcare.

3. Infrastructural preparation must extend to all hospitals. Infrastructure is already a huge burden to our health systems as people walk into our hospitals with physical injuries and leave with tuberculosis because of infrastructural inadequacies.

4. Testing ports must be extended beyond white dominated and elite spaces. The department cannot claim to be ready when the only testing ports we have are at airports. Majority of our people use alternative modes of transport and our country borders don't start at and end at O.R Tambo International Airport. More so because Corona Virus is not contained by imaginary borders.

5. We call for transparency on the case that has been identified in KZN, while also being mindful to protect the identity of those affected.

There must be a clear message as to what steps are being taken to handle the parties affected and contingencies are in place now that the reality of the Corona Virus has hit South African shores.

Issued by Vuyani Pambo, National Spokesperson, EFF, 5 March 2020