Rumpus over cries, blood at top Durban B&B

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Durban - Morningside residents were up in arms this week about a bed and breakfast operating in Lambert Road, but the owner insists it’s all above board. Residents from the upmarket suburb said they had noticed that there appeared to be guests staying at the Signature Guest House during the first week of lockdown. According to the lockdown regulations, hotels, lodges and guest houses must be closed “except to the extent where remaining tourists are confined to those”. The matter came to a head on Wednesday night, when a man was heard on the B&B property saying his nose was bleeding and that he “was dying”. “On our local WhatsApp group there had been discussion as to whether the B&B was an isolation centre or quarantine establishment,” said a resident in the area.

“I was watching television on Wednesday night when I heard groaning outside. I could hear it was coming from the B&B property, there was a guy saying ‘I can’t breathe’.

“He sounded terrible and was saying ‘I’m bleeding from my nose’.

“I could hear another guy was trying to calm him down. It was hectic, I felt quite shaken. I heard the second guy saying ‘lie down, lie down’ and then I heard sirens coming,” the resident said.

Another resident said: “I got a call from my neighbour, there was someone in massive distress at the property (B&B).There was a lot of crying and moaning. A man was saying ‘I’m bleeding from my nose, I’m dying’. It went on for about an hour. Why are there people even there ?”

He said an ambulance arrived at the premises and the distressed man was taken away.

Both residents asked for their names to be withheld.

The manager of the guest house, who also did not wish to be named, said the people staying at the guest house were American tourists who were already there when the lockdown was announced.

He sent his essential services certificate to the Independent on Saturday, which confirmed the guest lodge fell under the category “Hotels, Accommodation, Quarantine and Isolation”.

He said the guests at the establishment were not under quarantine.

“I have nothing to hide. There are American guests staying here and they could not leave because of the lockdown. I also have family members staying here, including my elderly parents. I have been approved as an essential services business during the lockdown period.

“The incident on Wednesday night was related to one of our guests who had an epileptic fit and an ambulance was called,” he said.

He added that vehicles had been driving in and out of the property because he was also supplying hand sanitiser to the eThekwini Disaster Management effort.

The residents who heard the crying man on Wednesday night said they did not detect an American accent.

Local community activist, Nicky Burke, said guest houses which had continued to operate during lockdown should have notified the local residents in this regard.

“The rules of law apply and the necessary protocols need to be in place. If a guest house is still being used, the owners should have notified the neighbours.

“Owners need to have all protocols and checks in place for the safety of all concerned during the lockdown.

“While for the most part people are being responsible, I have received a number of complaints from residents about people breaking lockdown regulations. This also includes domestic workers and gardeners who have continued to work.

“There are also homeless people wandering around the streets who should not be out and about. The public should be alerted to not give them money as there are meals available for the homeless at lockdown shelters,” she said.

eThekwini Municipality did not respond to requests for confirmation and comment on the Signature Guesthouse remaining in operation and under what premise, nor on a request to clarify how many B&B establishments remained operational in the city.