KZN Suffers Chronic Medication Shortage and Struggles for Essentials

Friday, July 16, 2021 at 9:25 AM by Reeshni Chetty

KwaZulu-Natal residents are facing trouble after trouble due to the ongoing vandalisation of businesses and looting within the province
Fuel stations and supermarkets have either been looted or have run out of goods that could have been sold to consumers
An example by a well-known publication was the intense queues outside a Spar in Durban where citizens lined up to purchase essentials

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Citizens in KwaZulu-Natal are struggling to get goods, food and medicine. Scores of malls are either completely closed or looted and WhatsApp groups are packed with questions about which areas are opened.

Various fuel stations are not open and queues are leading back metres upon metres. TimesLIVE reported that scores of people from KZN made their way to Durban North as a Spar supermarket was reportedly open.

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KZN, reportedly, running out of food and medicine, ongoing looting — KwaZulu-Natal is reportedly facing food and fuel shortages as residents try their best to stock up. Image: RAJESH JANTILAL / AFP
Source: Getty Images

Long queues began to form as anxious residents tried to stock up on fuel, medicine and food. The long queues were short-lived as members of the South African Police Service members compelled management to close the doors of the supermarket.

News24 reported that various pharmacies that were also vaccination sites have also been looted. Cipla, a manufacturer of generic medication in Durban had its factory burnt down. A number of patients in the province are now living life without their chronic medication.

Medications for conditions such as HIV, diabetes and hypertension are just a few of the illnesses that could possibly bring on severe Covid-19 symptoms causing the patient to fall ill and end up in hospital.

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It is now illegal to purchase petroleum products in containers

Previously, Briefly News reported that the South African government has just announced that it is illegal for motorists to purchase both diesel and petrol in a container. The Department of Mineral Resources and Energy announced the new regulations on Thursday morning.