A joint campaign by the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) and Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality to fight the spread of COVID-19 was carried out at SASSA paypoints in Mangaung, Bloemfontein.

The elderly people collecting their SASSA pension grants were given buckets that contain sanitizers and were encouraged to wash their hands regularly with soap and water to avoid contracting the virus.

Each bucket contained one litre bottle of a hand sanitizer, two bleaches, four hand soaps, two set of rubber gloves and a face mask.

Other than washing their hands regularly, the elderly were also sensitized on maintaining a social distance, especially when coming to collect they grants.

To date, the total number of confirmed cases in South Africa is 10 015 with 4 173 recoveries and 194 Corona virus related deaths.

“It is therefore important that we adhere to the restrictions as stipulated by the Level 4 restrictions of COVID-19,” said DWS in a statement.

The Department of Water and Sanitation at the Free State Province is hard at work to provide water tanks and to deliver water by water trucks to water restricted communities. This is to ensure that these communities, particularly in informal settlements and rural area, have access to water.

Following the announcement of the country’s lockdown by President Ramaphosa, the Minister of Human Settlements, Water and Sanitation, Lindiwe Sisulu made a call that there should be urgent interventions to ensure every South African has access to water.