South Africa’s first full day of a 21-day lockdown has seen the arrest of 55 people for various violations, Police Minister Bheki Cele said on Friday.
Speaking at a National Command Council briefing on Friday evening, Cele said those arrested were nabbed in the country’s nine provinces after Thursday midnight – the time the lockdown came into force.
Those who refuse to cooperate with law enforcement authorities during the national lockdown would be forced to do so, the minister said.
“We had a good night, [it was] a success. Our phones were abuzz with reports and things that were going on in various areas – and those phoning told us we needed to go and stop those things (violations),”he added.
“Otherwise, many South Africans have shown very goodwill during the lockdown,” Cele said.
Meanwhile, the health authorities have confirmed 1,170 cases of coronavirus patients in the country, with two deaths: one confirmed and the other “highly suspected” to be linked to the pandemic, he said.
The country’s police are being assisted by 3,000 troops in their reinforcing the lockdown regulations, which has seen South Africans staying at home – except in cases of carrying out authorized essential tasks, he said.
NM/Dng/APA