By Olwethu Nanto
Desperate to receive medical care, Malabar residents took to the streets to vent their frustration with the closure of their local clinic.
Last week, the Helenvale clinic reopened after being closed for two years due to gang-related incidents. The move saw the Malabar clinic subsequently reverting to the way it was run before — opening only on Fridays.
Thursday’s protest saw a mixture of the elderly, young people and women with infants gathering outside the Malabar community centre, holding placards and demanding the district health department reopen the clinic.
One of the organisers, Rozanne Moodaley, said their biggest concern was the safety of patients both at the Helenvale clinic and while travelling there, saying that while Helenvale residents had previously complained of crime while en route to the Malabar clinic, now the reverse would occur.
Our biggest concern is the gangsterism that led to the clinic in Helenvale to close. The gangsterism hasn’t ended in that area
We understand them [Helenvale residents] wanting the clinic to be reopened but they were robbed by people from their area while walking to the Malabar clinic.
“The people here won’t be able to walk to the Helenvale clinic, it is mostly the frail and old who would need to walk to the clinic, while other people would need to take a taxi to Schauderville, which costs R40 in total.”
Among the other reasons the Malabar community members wanted the Malabar clinic to be reopened was the growth of their community, which Moodaley noted had seven extensions.
Daily Kasi News 