Durban - ONE of the world’s largest non-governmental relief organisations has moved into KwaZulu-Natal to assist with decontamination and education amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
Scientology Volunteer Ministers is made up of volunteers trained to provide assistance in and respond to disasters. They provided assistance in the US after the 9/11 attacks, and after tsunamis and floods hit Japan and Mozambique respectively.
Director of public affairs Sandile Hlayisi said for their work during the pandemic they were “armed with the (most effective) decontamination substance on the entire planet”.
“We decontaminate thoroughly - at our own expense. We do this as a contribution, and provide hygiene education afterwards to ensure the decontaminated space is kept clean. We have also translated (labels on) materials into Zulu,” Hlayisi said.
Hlayisi said the amount of work being undertaken by the NGO in Gauteng had increased, and they had decided to form teams in KZN, the Western Cape and the Eastern Cape.
“We started in the eThekwini and iLembe municipal areas,” said Hlayisi.
Within eThekwini Municipality, they have decontaminated Home Affairs offices, a school bus rank and the uMlazi taxi rank, among other facilities. They also decontaminated the premises of all emergency services and police stations, hospitals, homeless shelters and the premises of other government entities.
“Our strategy is focused on keeping the government and the economy running, that’s why we decontaminate government buildings,” Hlayisi said.
SA National Taxi Council provincial office manager Sfiso Shangase said they had worked well with the Scientology Volunteer Ministers, as their priority was decontaminating scholar transport ahead of the reopening of schools. “We decontaminated areas in uMgungundlovu and eThekwini municipalities. Hopefully we can get to other areas as well,” said Shangase.