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Covid-19: Limpopo health officials stop, screen motorists travelling to the province

Limpopo health officials on Wednesday had their hands full as they stopped cars to check if people who were travelling to the province showed symptoms of coronavirus.
Limpopo health officials on Wednesday had their hands full as they stopped cars to check if people who were travelling to the province showed symptoms of coronavirus.
Image: LEN KUMALO

The Limpopo health department officials had their hands full on Wednesday as they randomly stopped vehicles and screening dozens of people making their way into the province.

The operations were conducted on both the R101 and N1 roads which both connect Limpopo and Gauteng.

Those who were showing symptoms of coronavirus were being tested and officials said they would be traced when their results returned positive for the covid-19.

Malawian national Memory Vasco, a domestic worker in Meyerton, Johannesburg was among those screened while on her way back to her home country. She seemed to have accepted that the coronavirus will claim her life.

"I am afraid of the deadly virus but I don't think I will come back to South Africa again. It is better to get sick at home in the hands of my loved ones than to die in another country and your family be left with no money to burry you in dignity," Vasco said.

Edward Miles ,40, a Limpopo father travelling from Pretoria to Lewakgomo to deliver building material said he was satisfied with the operation as he believed it is one of the interventions needed to defeat coronavirus.

Another Malawian national, Amin Biel, 23, a mother of an 8-month daughter, who was traveling from Roodepoort said she was going back home as she fears the coronavirus outbreak would spread more in Gauteng.

"I am scared to remain in the country when everyone is going home. I know that we must try to protect ourselves. We cannot afford to take the deadly virus back home," Biel said.

She added: "As a bread winner from a not well to do family. I love my family so much that I cannot miss quality time to spend with my loved ones back at home. No place is better than at home, home sweet home".