The President of the African Independent Congress, Mandla Galo, is reported to have been in contact with people who tested positive for the Covid 19 Virus. Galo first attended a Portfolio Committee meeting that deals with tourism in Parliament before attending a meeting with the president on March the 18th. In both meetings he attended, two people are reported to have tested positive for Covid 19 . According to Galo he received a phone call today from people who were in the meeting, telling him that one of their officials had tested positive for Covid 19. “The officials who phoned me were checking if there are symptoms that I noticed in my body. They gave me the toll free number to call if I suspect something”, he said. Galo was also in a meeting attended by Rev. Kenneth Meshoe who later tested positive for Covid 19 and is now in quarantine. Last week, after announcement was made by a number of political leaders that they are going for tests, The Informer newspaper visited him at his home to find out if he will go for tests. In an interview that day he promised to go and get tested for the virus. On Monday, Galo visited the Bergview Pharmacy in Matatiele and Matatiele Private Hospital but could not be assisted as there are no testing venues in Matatiele. He was advised to go to Kokstad the following day which was Tuesday. One of our Journalists met him in town on Tuesday and asked him if he had gone for tests as promised. According to the journalist he replied that he could not go because of roadblock at Cederville. When talking to us today, Galo complained about the lack of resources and the expenses that go with testing. He promised that he will go on Friday depending on resources. Galo’s delay to go for tests brings fear to many people in Matatiele especially at KwaLunda his location. On social media, a number of people have put pressure on him to go for testing. One user, Mvulas Mafaku Qola, told him to show leadership and go for tests he even suggested that he must go to Dr Moloi. In his respons Galo said “Your mentioning of Dr Might be palatable and positively welcomed, but your instructive tone is rather egregious and uneducated more especially when it comes to such a badly crisis facing our country. Even the Commander in Chief President Cyril Ramaphosa cannot instruct anyone in the country to go and test . I highly respect you and your job and I also expect you to respect me as a human being at least even if you dont respect my job as a legislator in the National Assembly in the RSA. My testing is voluntary and it does not need any misguided instructions. Thank you very much and good day.” Meanwhile AIC ‘ s deputy president, Lulama Ntshayisa ,went for testing on Tuesday this week in Kokstad and results came back negative. In an interview Ntshayisa went for testing because he was in a meeting with Rev. Meshoe ‘s deputy Steve Swarts before Lockdown.
