Capetonians are urged to remain vigilant for sightings of medical waste which might be dumped by criminals who hijacked the vehicle transporting it.
The boxes and sealed containers of waste, which
had been collected from clinics in Khayelitsha, contain sharps including used
syringes, as well as infectious materials used in healthcare, and could poses as
a risk to the public if mishandled.
It’s believed that the waste was stolen on
Friday afternoon, when an Averda healthcare waste removal vehicle was hijacked
by armed men in Khayelitsha, Cape Town. The truck was transporting waste from
local clinics to a specialist medical waste treatment facility at Killarney
Gardens at the time of the hijacking.
Averda’s representative, Marika Human, said
that the driver, who was held at gunpoint, was eventually released unhurt and
is receiving support, including counselling, following this ''traumatic incident''.
“We urge members of the public to report any
sightings of the boxes and/or bags to SAPS, and strongly advised people to not
touch or open the boxes,” says Marika Human.
“We have a team on standby ready to collect and
safely dispose of the waste when it is located,” she added.
The incident has been reported to the South
African Police Services (SAPS), the Provincial and National Department of
Environment, Forestry and Fisheries who are responsible for waste management
and the clinics involved.
Done By: Mitchum George
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