S.A: sewing shop shifts to making reusable masks for locals

In South Africa’s Alexandra township, a sewing shop has shifted its production of traditional textiles to reusable face masks.

The masks are given to indegenes at the local mall in a bid to curtail spread of the coronavirus.

‘‘We want to help the people of Alexandra to be safe in this virus so that’s why we decided to make these masks to help our President to save our people. So it is very important, I am very happy that the people of Alex mall gave me this opportunity, so I am very happy because it will help many people and many lives”, said Hluvuku Designs director, Ponani Shikweni.

Beneficiaries reiterate the importance of wearing the face masks during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“My breathing might infect somebody that is quite next to me, if I am not quite a meter away from them, I might infect someone. You can be my neighbour, my spouse or my children. So it is very important for us to wear a mask, as Alex people and as a nation”, Alexandra resident,
Teboho Nkhoesa said.

President Cyril Ramaphosa on Thursday extended a 21-day lockdown to April ending.

As of Friday April 10, the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases rose to 2,003 in this South African nation.

AFP