MOSSEL BAY NEWS - Mossel Bay's Multi-Agency Command Centre (MACC) met on Wednesday, 25 March under the professional leadership of the municipality's head of disaster management, Joseph Johnston.
The MACC is interdepartmental and representatives will meet regularly to give effect to the municipal and provincial emergency contingency plans.
Both municipal and other law enforcement and emergency services staff will continue working and ensuring the safety of the community.
What was stated extremely clearly was that the regulations for the national lockdown were not yet available at the time of going to print.
Regulations available referred to the national state of disaster whicht President Ramaphosa announced.
The lockdown, however, requires a specific set of regulations that will regulate matters such as public movement.
Municipal manager Adv Thys Giliomee reiterated that law enforcement will be strict, both from municipal law enforcement as well as from other law enforcement agencies. He implored the public to abide not only by the laws of the country, but also by the strict requirements of the lockdown. It transpired that the police will hold roadblocks every day, 24 hours per day.
The MACC welcomed the announcement by Eskom that no loadshedding is expected for the duration of the lockdown.
The relevant authorities have plans in place for isolation wards and quarantine facilities, should it come to that.
The Western Cape Health EMS Ambulance service requested that the public refrain from prank calls to allow it to serve the greater Mossel Bay area with its present capacity. Ambulance services are contactable using telephone number 10177 or from a cellphone, 112.
The representatives present at the meeting were adamant the public should know that no liquor stores would be open and that there would be a clampdown on illegal trading of alcohol.
Health Department acting district manager: Garden Route and Central Karoo, Dr Paul Rüschenbaum, asked that residents exercise care at home and that they adhere strictly to the restrictions imposed by the national lockdown.
The head of Mossel Bay Disaster Management, Joseph Johnston, municipal manager Adv Thys Giliomee and representatives of the municipality, healthcare, emergency services, law enforcement services and other government departments this week attended the first Mossel Bay Multi-Agency Command Centre meeting.
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