Officials have had their hands full during lockdown

She pleaded with residents to do their part to curb the spread of the coronavirus.

April 9, 2020

Carlien Grobler 1 minute read

Taxi drivers and passengers are urged to sanitise their hands.

On Saturday, a wedding party with more than 30 guests was arrested at a Mtethwa homestead, for contravening the national lockdown regulations.
The bride and groom were among those taken into custody.
According to SAPS Zululand Cluster spokesperson, Captain Nkocy Gwala, the wedding party was charged for contravening Disaster Management Act, Reg 11b (1) (a) (ii) RW RHB (8), and they were taken to a police station in Ngome.
15 guests from the bride’s side were issued with written J534 notices/fines.
Gwala explained that SAPS was currently inundated with complaints and was doing its best to inform, educate and maintain order during the national lockdown.
She pleaded with residents to do their part to curb the spread of the coronavirus.
Zululand SAPS Cluster Commander, Major General Thulani Gonya has further created a task team to assist and monitor residents during the national lockdown.
The team comprises of police officials, the South African National Defence Force (SANDF), the AbaQulusi Municipality, the Road Traffic Inspectorate (RTI), the Department of Health (DoH), the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA), the SA Social Security Agency (SASSA) and the Department of Social Development (DSD).
Members of this combined team attend a briefing every day, to address complaints and report on controlling the movement of people, the closure of liquor outlets, and arresting loiters and those selling fast foods.
The team is also actively involved in awareness campaigns.
Capt Gwala said local SAPS was concerned at the negativity of AbaQulusi residents to the lockdown and the prevailing belief that the virus only affects the rich or does not exist at all.
Many also fail to comply with the lockdown rules and regulations.
During a roadblock at the Nhlungwane and P700 crossing, an awareness campaign included handing out information pamphlets on Covid-19 and screening residents.
A total of 690 people were reached by DoH and SAPS officials.
At another roadblock at the Mayiwane crossing, a total of 351 travellers were screened for Covid-19, while 1 716 residents were educated on the coronavirus by the DoH and SAPS.

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