A Uitenhage school has lost its principal and deputy principal after both died shortly after testing positive for Covid-19 as Nelson Mandela Bay continues to see a sharp increase in the number of coronavirus cases.
The city has seen a sudden surge in infections, rising from 194 active cases on September 27 to 2,513 by Sunday.
KwaNobuhle-based Noninzi Luzipho Primary principal Danile David Mavikela died on Saturday at the Netcare Cuyler Hospital after being admitted 19 days earlier as he was struggling to breathe.
He was eventually placed on a ventilator.
His wife, Patience, said she was devastated by his death.
“He was a wonderful person who loved teaching. I am sure the entire school will miss him,” she said.
Mavikela’s deputy, Ester Namfu, died on Wednesday while being transported by ambulance to Netcare Cuyler Hospital.
She would have turned 60 on Wednesday.
Her brother, Themba Moyakaza, said he and his sister had always been close.
“I miss her so much. We were very close,” he said.
New Covid-19 figures show the metro has eight hotspots, with Motherwell at the top of the list with 416 active cases. This is followed by Uitenhage (319), Kwazakhele (137), KwaNobuhle (133), Walmer (132), Bethelsdorp (128), Zwide (104) and Despatch (102).
Eastern Cape premier Oscar Mabuyane on Monday night assigned his special advisor, Dr Thobile Mbengashe, to help deal with the resurgence in infections in Nelson Mandela Bay and the Sarah Baartman district.
Mbengashe’s role is to support the joint operations centres in both areas in carrying out a strategy to curb infections.
“Through this strategy, the provincial government is targeting hotspot areas showing increasing numbers of Covid-19 infections in the province to lower the rate of transmission as we deal with what looks like a second wave of infections,” a statement from the premier’s office said.
“Dr Mbengashe will be in Nelson Mandela Bay and Sarah Baartman this week to work with the two structures to suppress the resurgence of Covid-19 infections.”
Acting Bay mayor Thsonono Buyeye said there was an active case in every ward in the Bay.
“This is very concerning for us,” he said. “We are working very closely with the provincial government to find ways around this crisis.”
He said recently the number of active cases was so low they had stopped using the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium as a quarantine site. “But now these numbers are increasing again and it is clear something needs to be done fast.”
Municipal disaster management chair Shane Brown said the city was doing its best to ensure the numbers declined again by working with all the necessary stakeholders.
“The police and metro police successfully closed down some non-complying establishments where residents gathered at the weekend.
“The department of labour is busy investigating if businesses, shopping malls and even the municipality are complying with the regulations as they have compliance inspectors for such establishments.
“We need to remind residents that between midnight and 4am there is still a curfew in line with level 1 Covid-19 regulations. We are now pleading with residents to please wear their masks at all times, wash their hands regularly and keep social distancing.
“We do not want a harder lockdown but if this trend persists, we might be heading in that direction to save lives.”
Noninzi Luzipho Primary was sanitised at the weekend ahead of the pupils return on Monday. Counselling has been offered to the close to 1,000 pupils and staff.
Provincial education department spokesperson Malibongwe Mtima said officials had visited the school on Monday.
He said Mavikela, 54, and Namfu, 59, had both been on sick leave.
“Contingency plans are in place at the school to ensure everyone will be assisted.”
The school’s head of departments, Lungelo Kilne, has taken the reins in an acting capacity.
Namfu’s daughter, Sinovuyo, said her mother had started to show flu-like symptoms about five weeks ago.
“We gave her medication such as lemon and Disprin. She continued to go to work as the flu was not that bad,” she said.
Sinovuyo said in the fourth week her mother’s condition worsened. “She started to breathe heavily and battled to walk even five steps,” she said.
Nambu was tested for Covid-19 on October 21 and her results came back positive two days later.
“My mother was a talkative person. She loved children and people. You could hear her from anywhere. That’s how she could project her voice. She was also strict when it was needed.”
Patience Mavikela said she had received a call from the hospital on Saturday just after 9pm. She was told to rush to the hospital as it was unlikely her husband would live for much longer.
“I went very quickly to the hospital and was given personal protective equipment to wear so I could say my final goodbye.”
She said her husband did not respond when she spoke to him at his bedside.
She described her husband as someone with a passion for teaching.
“He was also an active and dedicated member of the Methodist Church of Southern Africa. He was once a recording secretary in the Methodist Grahamstown [Makhanda] district for six years.”
She said her husband was admitted to hospital on October 13 as he was struggling to breathe.
“They did a Covid-19 test once he was admitted and it came back positive that same night.”
She said her husband had shown symptoms of shortness of breath for two days before going to hospital.
“That school has lost two people in the top management structure. It is awful news for everyone.”
She did not know where he could have contracted the virus.
She said the funeral arrangements still had to be concluded.
The couple have three children, Thembinkosi, 33, Lunga, 30 and Abongile, 24.
“He was a very loving parent,” she said.
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