The departmental spokesperson, Tebogo Lekgethwane, says following the closure of two facilities, the Boitumelong and Coverdale clinics, the department has since learnt about this incident and plans are afoot to avert further inconveniences to patients. Last week workers at these two facilities boycotted work over safety issues in that area after residents went on the rampage. This as it is alleged that police officers in the town collude with local gangs. Lekgethwane says the department is engaging different stakeholders to try and deal with the effects of protests spilling over to their facilities.

He says this has been happening across the province and not only in Bloemhof. He adds that the department is continuing to engage with the police, tribal councils and different key government departments. Meanwhile, classes at schools have resumed in the troubled town. A local resident told OFM News that the situation is back to normal with pupils and workers having resumed their respective duties. He says this despite the arrests of three people last night at around 22h00 at a local taxi facility. Two taxis were impounded by the police but have since been returned.

The Department of Education spokesperson, Freddy Sepeng, condemned the behaviour of residents that led to the closure of these seven primary schools. Sepeng said for quite a while now the department has been pleading against such behaviour of residents but the message clearly falls on deaf ears.

OFM News