Several police top brass in the Eastern Cape have tested positive for Covid-19 and a captain based at a station in the Karoo is understood to have died from the virus on Tuesday morning.
The provincial police headquarters in Zwelitsha has been closed for decontamination after infected officers — both senior provincial officials and junior staff members — received their test results.
DispatchLIVE is not disclosing the officers’ names for ethical reasons.
According to sources, who are based at provincial headquarters, seven officers have tested positive while others are still awaiting their results.
“We were told to go home and not come back as this place has seven members who have tested positive for Covid-19,” a source, who cannot be named as he is not authorised to speak to the media, told DispatchLIVE.
The officer said they received the directive on Monday afternoon.
“We had to leave early as the province decided to fumigate the buildings and many have been told to work from home.”
Another SAPS member said officers based in the building are scared of returning.
“We have been told this is the worst virus to hit the province and it is difficult for members who are on the front line like us. Everyone is just scared and to be honest, we have been waiting for this news to break. This number [of infected police officers] can rise to more than 20,” the officer said.
A third source accused police management of “hiding” that some of the top brass had tested positive for Covid-19.
“They have tested positive, and they are hiding it from the provincial personnel. People are not being tested. Crime intelligence staff are told to go to work but those in uniform are told to work at home,” the officer said.
“This is unfair, sending some members to the unsafe building while other members are told to stay at home. What is special about them? Must [those told to work] test positive and die? The entire organisation should close down, we don’t need anyone in this building at all.”
Police national spokesperson Brig Vish Naidoo promised to respond to DispatchLIVE‘s queries on Tuesday afternoon.
“I will be issuing a statement,” Naidoo said.
But no statement had been received by print deadline.
DispatchLIVE visited the Zwelitsha headquarters on Tuesday afternoon and found hundreds of workers absent.
The entrance was cordoned off with crime scene tape while members of the SAPS forensic services were preparing to fumigate the building.
Hundreds of parking bays outside the building yard were empty and only a few vehicles were in front of the main buildings.
Concerned police officers had to stay outside the building while health officials dressed in personal protection equipment (PPE) were visible.
A military vehicle was also on site.
Those from the forensic services, wearing their protective gear, entered the SAPS buildings in pairs.
“This is what we have to do and the building is off limits to anyone who wants to enter. We are told that the virus is found in the air,” said one member attached to the forensic services.
“This is not child’s play and we need to make sure that our members who are on the front line are protected at all times and those who are at the stations are safe.”
Late on Tuesday afternoon, a government official attached to the department of correctional services called DispatchLIVE to report that they were worried about Covid-19 in their small Karoo town (name known to DispatchLIVE), where a police officer died on Tuesday morning.
“We have an officer who has died and his wife works for correctional services. All the members at the centre are worried. Those who are at the police station are concerned about their safety,” the official said.
Police minister Bheki Cele said on Friday that the number of police officers who had tested positive for the virus was 253 nationally.
He said the bulk of infections were in the Western Cape, which accounted for 178. This was followed by the Eastern Cape with 13 cases, Gauteng with 12 and KwaZulu-Natal with eight.
By Bongani Fuzile – DispatchLIVE
