Soccer tournaments are prohibited, warn SAPS
In one incident this past weekend, community members threw stones at the police and allegedly damaged the state vehicle during a soccer tournament held at Tlhabine Village.
BURGERSFORT – The Limpopo SAPS have strongly condemned people who are organising soccer tournaments during level 3 of the lockdown.
In one incident this past weekend, community members threw stones at the police and allegedly damaged the state vehicle during a soccer tournament held at Tlhabine Village.
“We received information about a soccer tourney that was going on in the area and on arrival, both players and spectators started scattering in different directions. Some ran towards the police, throwing stones at them. No members was injured,” said Limpopo SAPS spokesperson Col Moatshe Ngoepe.
Acting provincial commissioner Maj Gen Jan Scheepers warned all community members to stop organising and attending soccer tournaments, whether as players or spectators, as this is still prohibited under the Disaster Management Act.
“The SAPS will act against anyone who organises soccer tournaments and this will include arrests,” revealed Scheepers.
Limpopo MEC for sports, arts and culture, Thandi Moraka expressed concerns over the violation of the lockdown rules.
“We are making a call to all communities and organisers to desist from staging soccer tournaments because it is still prohibited. “Everyone should continue to adhere to lockdown regulations of practising social distancing, sanitising and washing of hands at all times.”
She said law enforcement agencies will be deployed to some of identified hotspots to monitor and enforce compliance.
Moraka added that the continued violation of the regulations undermines and derails government’s efforts to curb the spread of Covid-19.
