Home First lockdown arrests made as Hillbrow residents defy new booze rules

First lockdown arrests made as Hillbrow residents defy new booze rules

With the nationwide lockdown having been in effect for a mere nine hours, the South African Police Service (Saps) have already had to deal with their first batch of troublemakers.

Tavern patrons arrested  

Saps officers were forced to engage with members of the public drinking at a tavern in Hillbrow in the Johannesburg CBD. Members of the public are reported to have been found drinking in a public space despite lockdown regulations banning the sale of alcohol and gathering outside the confines of one’s home during a nationwide lockdown to curb the spread of the coronavirus. 

Several people are understood to have been arrested during the operation at the Main Den Pub and found to be in violation of the lockdown protocol, having spent their evening drinking at a tavern. They were loaded into police vans and 

The tavern owner himself was allegedly among those arrested in the teething hours of the lockdown. 

The South African  has reached out to Saps for confirmation of the arrests and will update this story when comment is provided. 

No-tolerance on alcohol 

Police Minister Bheki Cele has outlined a no-tolerance policy on the buying and sale of alcohol during the 21 day lockdown window. On Tuesday 25 March, he said that people who broke the rules of the lockdown faced months behind bars.

“No movement of liquor from point A to point B. There shall be no movement. If you break these laws, you will be in prison for six months or be fined or both,” he said. 

“It’s not a fairytale to say the law will act very harshly on you. Non-movement will be implemented,” he added. 

Watch: Saps officers arrest patrons of Hillbrow tavern:

The South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) captured footage of officers arresting the patrons.



No comments:

Subscribe to: Post Comments ( Atom )
ads
Powered by Blogger.