Ekhuruleni Mayor Mzwandile Masina. (OJ Koloti, Gallo Images)
- The test was conducted after he had interacted with more than 100 stakeholders at the Ekurhuleni Covid-19 Food Bank.
- The mayor did not experience any symptoms.
- Regular testing for essential services providers is important to protect the communities in which they work, Masina said.
Ekurhuleni Mayor Mzwandile Masina has tested negative for Covid-19.
In a statement, his office said he was tested even though he experienced no symptoms.
The test was conducted after he visited the Ekurhuleni Covid-19 Food Bank, where he interacted with various stakeholders, including political parties, non-profit organisations, hostel dwellers, faith-based organisations, the arts and culture fraternity, sex workers, sports people, the LGBTIQ+ community and more than 105 business people and community members who made donations to the food bank.
His results were released on Saturday.
Tjerrr!This man stuck this thing right down my throat without a warning. Today I did the responsible thing a took a COVID-19 test,I am not showing any symptoms but I work with people so I have to take extra precautions.I will release my results once I get them.Indoors until then pic.twitter.com/gyr2HYisnK
— Mzwandile Masina (@mzwandileMasina) May 28, 2020
“I think it is important to test regularly if you are providing essential services to the public. Knowing one’s status allows me to protect my loved ones and the communities I serve. All essential service personnel working in my office took the Covid-19 test with me and I am pleased to report that all their results returned negative.
“We will continue to enforce our stringent hygiene protocols at the workplace and wear our face masks whenever we leave home, as directed by President Cyril Ramaphosa,” said Masina.
PODCAST | …ONE MORE THING: News24’s Adriaan Basson speaks candidly on the Prof Glenda Gray saga
Essential service personnel in the Office of the Executive Mayor conduct daily screenings and regular random testing throughout the duration of the nationwide lockdown.
All essential service staff working for the City of Ekurhuleni can request a Covid-19 test should they experience symptoms related to the virus or if they has contact with someone who tested positive.
Stay healthy and entertained during the national lockdown. Sign up for our Lockdown Living newsletter. Sign up and manage your newsletters in the new News24 app by clicking on the Profile tab