Sandiso Phaliso
Isikhungo sezempilo sase-Gilton esineminyaka engama-57 siyawohloka.
Uphahla luyavuza, iminyango iyawa, amafasitela aphukile futhi nephansi liyawohloka.
Ithangi elidala le-zinc yilona kuphela umthombo wamanzi okulo mtholampilo kuMasipala iRaymond Mhlaba esiFundeni i-Amathole njengoba lo mtholampilo ungakaze uxhunywe noma ufakelwe amanzi.
Uphahla lwakhiwe nge-asbestos futhi utshani bebungagundwa iminyaka.
Lesi sikhungo esinamagumbi amane okumele sihlinzeke ngezinsiza ezidingeka kakhulu ezigodini eziyi-13 kanye nezikole azinayo indawo yokulindela.
UQinisile Myoli, oyisiguli esiya njalo emtholampilo uthe uma kushisa noma kubanda akayi emtholampilo ngoba uyakhathazeka ukulinda ngaphandle amahora amaningi.
“Ngeke usho ukuthi umtholampilo noma yindlu le. Lesi sakhiwo besisihle ngeminyaka yangowe-1960, hhayi namuhla njengoba abantu bakulezi zindawo badinga usizo olungcono,” kusho uMyoli.
Lo mtholampilo waqale wakhiwa njengendlu ngowe-1964 waphenduka umtholampilo ngemuva konyaka we-1994.
Umgqugquzeli wekomidi le-Gilton Clinic, uKwanele Macakela, uthe ibhilidi lidinga ukuplastelwa, ukupendwa bese kushintshwa uphahla.
Uthe kuyihlazo futhi kuyaphoxa uma izalukazi, abakhulelwe kanye nezingane ezigulayo kumele bame emvuleni kwesinye isikhathi elangeni elishisayo.
“UMnyango wezeMpilo uyazi ngomtholampilo,” kusho uMacakela.
“Asisawahambisi amaphepha, kodwa sibuza ngenqubekela phambili. Siqale ukukhuluma nabo ngowezi-2014, kodwa akukho okwenzekayo.”
Uthe abakucelayo isikhungo esihloniphekile esakhiwe ngendlela esezingeni.
“Uyasicabanga isikhungo sezempilo esingenawo amanzi sinjani? Kuyihlazo,” esho.
Okhulumela uMnyango wezeMpilo uYonela Dekeda uthe umtholampilo wase-Gilton uhlonziwe futhi wabekwa eqhulwini lokuthi ushintshwe.
“Ijubane okungalungiswa ngalo lilinganiselwe kwisabelomali esikhona,” kusho uDekeda
Uthe kuze kube yilapho ukulungiswa kuyenziwa, izinhlaka zesikhashana zizofakwa emtholampilo wase-Gilton nakweminye imitholampilo ukuze zisetshenziswe njengendawo yokulinda.