Staff Reporter
A police officer at Zamdela police station in Sasolburg has tested positive for COVID-19, forcing the community service centre to temporarily close.
Free State police spokesperson Brigadier Sam Makhele said the officer tested positive on Monday morning and the police station was immediately closed to allow for decontamination.
“All communities being serviced by the Zamdela police station . . . are advised that (it) has been temporarily closed (after one of its members . . . tested positive COVID-19 on Monday,” he said in a statement.
Makhele said a temporary police station will now operate from Number 1 Railway Station Building, Coalbrook, also known as the old Transnet Building.
He said all telephone lines at Zamdela police station are out of service and all emergencies may be directed to 082 728 7999.
The police station becomes the fourth in the province to be temporarily closed due to the coronavirus outbreak after Bethlehem, Batho and Mangaung police stations recently suspended operations after some officers tested positive for the deadly disease.
Community members had to be assisted at temporary facilities set up by the police.
Those three police stations have since re-opened and are now fully operational with most of the officers back at work.