Free State Police Commissioner, Baile Motswenyane, says the police stations - located in Bethlehem and Bloemfontein - are now functional and can be accessed by the public. The police stations have been decontaminated and all contacts have self-isolated pending their coronavirus test results.

The Bethlehem police station was reopened last week, around the time the Batho police station in the Free State capital temporarily closed its doors. Motswenyane says the latter station became operational on Monday. 

The Commissioner has thanked the community around the police stations for their patience, and further thanked varied stakeholders for availing alternative venues that ran as temporary police stations. 

“I appreciate the unwavering good gesture which was displayed by these stakeholders in providing us with a space to render services at their respective facilities. Your understanding did not go unnoticed and on behalf of the police, I say thank you,” says Motswenyane.

The Free State has 81 active cases and six resulting deaths, the bulk of which is located in the Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality. At the time the Batho police station closed, the Bloemfontein Correctional Contracts (BCC) confirmed that an employee at the Mangaung maximum private prison outside Bloemfontein had tested positive for the novel Coronavirus.

Responding to OFM News’ queries on the matter, BCC in which G4S is a shareholder, says the female employee who works at the Mangaung Correctional Centre library is currently self-isolating at home. 

The management of the private prison is said to be working alongside the provincial health department to trace all the contacts and ensure all the necessary precautions and protocols are followed.

OFM News