Police Minister visits KZN to assess compliance to Covid-19 lockdown rules

POLICE Minister, General Bheki Cele, together with Police Deputy Minister, Cassel Mathale will, for the second time since the COVID-19 nationwide lockdown kicked off on 26 March 2020, visited Kwa-Zulu Natal to assess adherence to the Disaster Management Regulations.

Today marks day 27 of the COVID-19 nationwide lockdown (with just a week lef of the two-week extension).

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Cele said in a media briefing this morning that the South African Polive Service (SAPS), along with the South African National Defence Force (SANDF), Provincial Traffic, Metro Police Departments and other law enforcement agencies, have done fairly well in terms of enforcing the regulations.

OPERATIONS

More than 190 roadblocks have been held daily countrywide and 681 vehicle checkpoints mounted.

Daily – both day and night and including weekends – members of the security forces have been patrolling the streets.

Raids have been conducted which have seen illegal liquor outlets shut down and non-essential services such as mines, factories and other companies busted.

CRIME PICTURE AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE (GBV)

Cele confirmed that there had been a “significant drop” in most forms of crime across the country during the lockdown, due to the “deployment of the SANDF and other variables such as the prohibition of the sale of liquor.”

A “drastic” decreased in gender-based violence was also noted, said Cele – “contrary to wide media speculation.”

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“These include but not exclusive to murder, attempted murder, rape and sexual assault. The national picture reflects a decrease of -69,4 per cent from 9 990 cases between 29 March and 22 April last year to 3 061 since the lockdown until 20 April 2020, meaning a difference of 6 929,” said Cele.

“In four of the incidents during the lockdown, the boyfriends were allegedly killed by their girlfriends and in two of these incidents, the murder was a result of an argument over liquor.”

He said a comprehensive picture of the crime stats would be released after the lockdown.

CONTRAVENTIONS

By the end of the initial 21 days nearly 107 000 cases had been opened and 118 000 people had been charged with contravention of the lockdown regulations.

The cases include:
– Liquor related offences
– Illegal gatherings
– Failure to confine to a place of residence
– Cross border movement
– Business-related
– Transport related
– Misrepresentation of statement to deceive

“From those arrested, 42 388 are before different courts across the country, while the rest have either been granted bail, issued with fines, or released with a warning to appear before the court,” said Cele.

SAPS AND GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS ARRESTED FOR COVI-19 LOCKDOWN RELATED CRIMES

“One of the challenges we have faced during the lockdown has been dealing with pockets of criminality and having to arrest members of the security forces, government officials and some public office bearers, specifically councillors,” he said.

One hundred and thirty one members were arrested.

“Members arrested face a variety of charges relating to the prohibition of the selling of liquor during the lockdown where some were caught drinking; some buying and selling liquor; some for corruption and defeating the ends of justice; some for organising gatherings in contravention of the regulations; some even going as far as allegedly staging break-ins in the Western Cape just to go and steal alcohol from closed liquor outlets.”

NO SALE OF LIQUOR DURING THE LOCKDOWN

“Although at this stage there is practically only one more week left of the lockdown, members of the public are encouraged to continue to adhere to the regulations. The ban on the sale of liquor is still in place.”

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