Kumba identifies facilities for isolation amidst COVID-19 pandemic
04 May, 2020
Part of the work to minimise the spread of the Coronavirus includes isolation of those who have been tested and are awaiting their test results. Kumba Iron Ore’s Sishen and Kolomela mines have worked together to identify facilities in the mine and in the community that can be used for isolation and quarantine purposes.
One of these facilities, located in Mapoteng, Kathu has been reserved as an isolation centre. The other facility is in the Sivos Training Center in Kathu and has been kept aside as a quarantine site. The Mapoteng facility consists of park homes that can accommodate 400 people, of which 50 rooms have been prepared for suspected cases. These are fully furnished rooms with en-suite bathroom facilities, a communal kitchen and a laundry. People in isolation will have their meals prepared and delivered to them.
The Sivos Training Center currently has 25 rooms available and another 120 rooms will be refurbished to get them ready for quarantine purpose for Kumba employees, service providers and members of the community
Park homes identified to act as isolation facility for employees, service providers and members of the community in Kathu
In Postmasburg, we have prepared Postmasburg Hotel with 28 fully furnished rooms to be used as a quarantine centre. In addition, we constructed the emergency operation theatre which will be prepared as an ICU centre for critical patients and donated 60 hospital beds to be placed at the Postmasburg hospital. We also erected marquee tents including one at the showgrounds to use as self-isolation areas for community members who cannot self-isolate. Furthermore, we are creating more facilities with 400 rooms to be prepared and made available to cater for employees, service providers and the community.
“It is indeed heartening to see this kind of work, and the strides we have made to ensure that we combat the virus,” said Themba Mkhwanazi, Kumba CEO. He urged management teams to continue collaborating with other stakeholders such as the Department of Health, the local municipality and other mining houses in the region to ensure that we adequately support our communities. This will ensure that the initiative reaches all our communities.
Kolomela mine donated 60 hospital beds to be placed at the Postmasburg hospital