Hijackers make off with Covid tests

A courier truck ferrying test samples for the National Health Laboratory Services (NHLS) was hijacked in Port Elizabeth on Monday afternoon.

This is according to Eastern Cape premier Oscar Mabuyane, who used his weekly media briefing on Tuesday to condemn criminal activity.

“Yesterday, we received reports that a courier vehicle transporting Covid-19 specimens for the NHLS was hijacked in Port Elizabeth and the criminals who did this took a white container with the specimens.

“We condemn this act of criminality, which puts the lives of people at risk,” Mabuyane said.

He said anyone who sees a white cooler box must inform the police.

This is not the first time that there has been a mishap with the test kits.

In June, hundreds of Covid-19 test kits — all marked as urgent — were found dumped on the side of a national road near East London.

Police spokesperson Colonel Priscilla Naidu confirmed the incident and said a case of hijacking and theft was under investigation after a courier company was hijacked outside a clinic in Motherwell on Monday.

“It is alleged that at about 3.30pm, a courier company vehicle was at the clinic parking area in NU11 when the driver and the passenger were held at gunpoint.

“The unknown suspects demanded the keys of the vehicle and drove away.

“No shots were fired, but the victims were also robbed of their personal belongings,” Naidu said.

She said the vehicle had later been found abandoned a few metres from the scene near Siqwane Street.

The services of the courier company responsible for ferrying the Covid-19 test kits that were found on the roadside near East London were terminated with immediate effect.

In a statement at the time, the NHLS said the actions of Gibela Trade and Invest and its staff had been found to be negligent and a risk to human life.

At the time NHLS CEO Dr Kamy Chetty said the loss of the specimens amounted to a violation of patients’ rights to protection of their medical records, privacy and confidentiality and the right to dignity.

Nelson Mandela Bay municipality mayoral committee member for public health Yoliswa Pali declined to comment on the incident.

Municipal spokesperson Mthubanzi Mniki said the city was shocked by the incident and urged the police to prioritise the case.

He said because of the Covid-19 pandemic people were more than ever concerned about their health and even more anxious about their results.

"We cannot afford to sidetracked by such criminal activities because these are trying times," he said.

"We are at war against Covid and anything that distracts our attention away from that fight might result in the loss of lives."