Gaborone City Council (GCC) has received over two thousand (2000) masks from Botswana Investment and Trade Centre (BITC). The donation is the organization’s effort on the fight against the Corona Virus Disease (COVID-19) pandemic.
The donation, which will also be extended to other Councils across the country will, according to GCC Mayor, help the Councils in protecting employees, particularly those in Ipelegeng programme. The Mayor have indicated that the Council is having problems providing the staff with Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) to carry out their duties.
“In light of the current pandemic and ever rising statistics, Councils are financially challenged with equipping its staff with the PPE’s to safeguard them against the virus and thus BITC’s helping hand goes a long way in the fight against COVID-19,” said His Worship the Mayor of GCC, Father Maphongo.
BITC received 5400 masks as a gesture of goodwill from UMask which is a PPE manufacturing company based in South Africa. UMask is a manufacturer of industrial masks that are best used to protect users from dust particles, toxins or hazardous and harmful particles, vapor and smoke. The masks also filter for solid and liquid particles with a medium filtering level. The masks protect up to 10 times the corresponding threshold value (OELs).
Upon receipt of the masks, BITC identified the Ipelegeng programmes across the country’s councils as the most suitable candidates to receive the masks. Other masks will be delivered to the identified councils in the near future.
The BITC Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Mr. Keletsositse Olebile, has this morning (5 August 2021), handed over two thousand (2000) UMasks to the Gaborone City Mayor, His Worship Mr. Thata F. Maphongo on behalf of the Ipelegeng Programme.
The donations are expected to play a role in curbing the fast and rapid spread of COVID-19 in Botswana. The virus has in the last three (3) days killed more Fifty (50) people countrywide.
