More than 2 000 arrests for breaking lockdown laws, confirms Cele

More than 2 000 people have been arrested for defying the lockdown regulations in place to curb the spread of COVID-19 in South Africa.

Police Minister Bheki Cele, who has been unwavering in his approach to the strict enforcement of curfew protocols, overriding lenience initially shown by other ministers, has urged citizens to abide by the rules or face the full might of the law.

While inspecting a vehicle checkpoint operation in Newcastle, KwaZulu-Natal, on Monday, Cele confirmed that more than 2 000 arrests had been made in four days.

Social grant payments complicate policing

Cele, who was joined by National Police Commissioner, General Khehla Sithole, commented on the week ahead being a tough one to police, following the lifting of public transport suspensions to facilitate the collection of social grants.

According to Social Development Minister, Lindiwe Zulu, two million transactions totalling R3.7 billion were processed through the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) card on Monday.

Speaking on the arrests made since the lockdown began at midnight on Thursday 26 March, the police minister said that officers were acting without fear or favour; taking swift action against both citizens and businesses alike.

Lockdown: Number of daily arrests rising, says Cele

The South African Police Service (SAPS), with assistance from the National Defence Force (SANDF), has cracked-down on taverns and the illicit liquor trade, following the declaration that no alcohol would be sold or transported during the lockdown period. Cele warned that unscrupulous tavern owners who continued to flout regulations could face a heft stretch behind bars.

Elaborating on the arrest tally, by province and day, Cele said:

“It is unfortunate that the number of people that we are arrested is going up.

Yesterday, we had 227 incidents. Out of those, nationally, we have arrested 1108. We would not wish to arrest so many people. But in three days, we arrested 1108; Western Cape 255 alone. We will continue to do that to nudge them towards compliance.”

Allegations of police brutality, excessive force

The push for harsher enforcement, in line with President Cyril Ramaphosa’s implementation of the Disaster Management Act, has, however, been met with some criticism.

Allegations of police brutality and the use of excessive force have caught the attention of National Police Spokesperson Vish Naidoo.

According to Naidoo, video footage, which allegedly shows citizens being manhandled by police, was being thoroughly investigated. Naidoo called on police officers to act in accordance with the law, saying:

“We have impressed upon our members on the ground to act within the confines of the law; in enforcing the disaster management regulations.

The regulations clearly outline the actions that security forces may enforce or impose on the alleged transgressors. And the depiction in the circulation of the videos is definitely not one of the actions as outlined in the disaster management regulations”

On Monday evening, President Ramaphosa, once again, cautioned security forces – including SAPS and the SANDF – against the use of excessive force, saying:

“They know that they must act within the law at all times and that they must not cause harm to any of our people in any way whatsoever, all of us, South Africans, the 50 million of us.”