CONSTANTIA | WYNBERG
Whatnot Shoes
Man
Checkers Centre Plumstead
www.thewhatnotshoes.c www.thewhatnotshoes.co.za Telephone: 021 761 1750
“Karoo”
genuine leather
less R 150.--
on presenting this Advert TUESDAY 8 October 2019 | Tel: 021 910 6500 | Email: post@peoplespost.co.za | Website: www.peoplespost.co.za
@peoplespostnewspaper
@ThePeoplesPost
until 15.10.19
People’s Post
WATER-WISE GARDEN GURU SHARES ADVICE: Angela McQueen with her dogs, Ozzy and Pip, in her water-wise garden in Meadowridge. Four diverse Constantia gardens, each practising sensible water management, will feature at Open Gardens Constantia happening on Friday 18 October. The gardens have been chosen to demonstrate garden survival (using different techniques) in water-depleted times. See page 6 for full story. PHOTO: NETTALIE VILJOEN
HOUT BAY
Day hospital open – for now NETTALIE VILJOEN
B
asic health services resumed yesterday (Monday 7 October) at Hout Bay Community Day Centre (CDC). The Western Cape health department has reinstated some of the services at the CDC after reports last week that it would be closed permanently. However, Natalie Watlington, spokesperson for the department of health (DOH), said this arrangement was part of the provisional services plan for Hangberg and Imizamo Yethu residents and that these interim health services would be short-term until a temporary Hout Bay CDC site and venue was finalised. The HOD’s announcement follows a public meeting at the Hangberg Sports Centre
held on Thursday 3 October. Chief director of metro health Dr Gio Perez, together with other senior officials from DOH, attended the meeting to present the department’s provisional services plan following the CDC’s closure. At the meeting, community members condemned the permanent closure of the CDC “as it’s a violation of their human rights to health and threatens the right to privacy, dignity and life”. The community rejected the provisional services plan presented. A resolution was made that the community would give DOH until Monday 7 October to ensure the day hospital was open and fully operational, failing which the community would obtain a court order to compel the department to open the day hospital.
Roscoe Jacobs, a community activist, said he had visited the day hospital on Monday. “I can confirm it is open. However, we want the facility to be fully operational. We have been clear on our resolution. If it is not met, we will meet with our legal counsel and see how we can take things forward.” Basic services offered at the CDC include the collection of chronic medication for known and stable patients, screening for TB and HIV, checking of blood pressure and sugar, triaging and basic wound dressings. The CDC was closed on Tuesday 17 September after protest action broke out in the Hangberg area (“Community mulls way forward”, People’s Post, 24 September). Unrest, which continued in the area throughout the week, quieted down on Saturday 21 Septem-
ber but the CDC remained closed until yesterday. According to Jacobs, the community’s malcontent was linked to the City of Cape Town’s alleged failure to deliver on housing commitments set out in the Hangberg peace Accord (2010). The community is currently pursuing the matter through the courts. A DOH statement released on Thursday 3 October ascribed the closure of the day hospital to protests in the area. “Staff and patients have experienced growing anxiety around personal safety at their workplace when caught in the crossfire of increasing unpredictability and escalation in conflict intensity over housing and other community issues,” said Watlington. V To page 2.