The Democratic Alliance (DA) is dismayed that the Gauteng Department of Health has not renewed the contract of the non-governmental organisation that supplies medical staff at more than 40 privately-run quarantine sites in Gauteng.

The contract lapsed last Friday, and the department had ample time to renew and discuss the terms of the new contract to ensure that medical staff were available to assist quarantined patients.

As a result, disillusioned and angry travellers are stuck in quarantine hotels with no idea of how long they will be left in these forced lodgings.

At the Centurion Hotel, a group of about 60 people who landed on Thursday, from countries as far as the DRC , Zambia and the Congo have as yet received no information from the Department of Health.

No health official has been to see them or evaluate them. In desperation, at their own costs , they paid for their own Covid tests which came back negative.

If quarantine doctors were made available, these people could be given a clean bill of health and leave the hotel.

But until then they will have to remain there in quarantine at significant cost to the taxpayer.

It is costing the Department of Health an estimated R4500 per night to keep each of these healthy quarantined people at the hotel.

The DA ‘s requests for assistance from National Department of Health have gone unanswered and there is no one available to assist from the Provincial Department of Health.

The shambolic handling of the quarantine process in Gauteng during this pandemic by the Department of Health is a disgrace to the province.

Gauteng deserves a government that acts fast and is on top of crises.

This quarantine incident comes in the wake of the personal protective equipment scandal, with the Health MEC Bandile Masuku being asked to take leave.

This incident is proof that hat he is not fit for the positon.

It is time that Gauteng Premier, David Makhura ensures that his executive does what they are being paid to do.

The DA will continue to ensure transparency and open communication from government on its poor management of quarantine facilities in Gauteng.

Issued by The DA