As part of the efforts to help curb the rapid spread of COVID-19, Police Minister Bheki Cele, visited eMalahleni, to enforce and monitor the implementation of the lockdown regulation.
The minister on Tuesday, April 8 told the police to instruct people not observing the COVID-19 lockdown rules to go home and if that fails “push them home, and if that also fails, they should arrest them.”
He said residents have a tendency of not listening.
“I hear them crying that cops and soldiers are brutal. Not listening to us is brutality,” Cele said.
“The exercise here is to reach the ultimate good, to keep South Africans alive,” he added
Minister Cele also emphasized on his stance that the ban of alcohol throughout the 21-day lockdown period would not be relaxed as it contributes to the high levels of crime in the country.
“Alcohol is a big generator of crime; ever since the lockdown started, we have seen a decrease of at least 500 out of 2 000 cases that are reported, last year 600 cases of rape were reported now it’s only 100. People should understand that this is not for comfort but for the safety of our nation.”
After addressing the joined parade of law enforcement officers and health practitioners upon reaching Balmoral area, which borders Gauteng and Mpumalanga, traffic officers had mounted roadblock where vehicle discs, licences and travel permits were evaluated and those without, were required to return home.
The South African Police Service (SAPS) confirms in a media statement that a manager of an established chain store in eMalahleni was arrested after the minister and his entourage found the deli in full operation, selling cooked food to customers in contravention of the regulations. At another chain store in KwaGuqa, the manager was given a fine of R1 000 for contravening the regulations.
Minister Cele welcomed the efforts of the business sector, especially mall managers who continue to put measures in place to assist the government in curbing the spread of the coronavirus.
Furthermore, the minister commended the presence and active involvement of health practitioners in the operations as a mobile clinic was set up for screening at one of the roadblocks.
