Alex councillors, police worried about residents’ poor compliance with lockdown rules

Life in parts of Alexandra appeared like on any ordinary Friday morning, hours into the 21-day national lockdown period enforced to mitigate against the coronavirus.

People milled around casually on some streets and queued in and around shops as on most pay days. This as reports of the first two deaths from the virus were reported in the Western Cape and as the number of those reported infected topped the 1 000 mark.

“It appears the warning against the deadly effects of the virus has not sunk into many and the expectation for compliance with the presidential pronouncement of the lockdown is selfishly ignored by some,” a worried councillor Adolph Marema said when contacted for comment.

This he said after media messages, pamphlets on mitigating measures continued to be circulated. This may either be from ignorance or defiance akin to the proverbial burying one’s head in the sand hoping to emerge when the danger is passed, which will not be likely.

Marema said he contacted the police who said there were street patrols. “But I haven’t seen any and there is no army visibility. I am not sure what should be done to get the warning heeded,” Marema added.

Proportional representative councillor Shadrack Mkhonto said, “While human traffic was low in some places, there were early morning congregations in Pan Africa Mall and Freedom Square precinct where shoppers descended to buy essential food items before the cut off time ordered for 9am.”

He said others queued at ATMs and those going into shops clearly violated the required social distancing, putting themselves and others at risk. He commended shops saying they complied by letting in limited numbers at a time and also satinised their hands as they entered the shops. Street traders were also absent. He worried about essential service commuters saying they had no specific pick-up points. “The taxi ranks are closed and the desperate essential people are picked up anywhere as they scramble to get to work on time.” Mkhonto worried that they would struggle to get back home. He attributed this to possibly poor communication and lack of agreement between government and the taxi industry.

“Despite a directive for them to keep required social distance between the commuters, some packed them as usual presumably not to run at a loss,” Mkhonto said referring to the order that they should carry about half the regulated number of passengers allowed in a normal situation. Also, he said no soldiers where on the ground.

Alex Police Station spokesperson Sergeant Simphiwe Mbatha said there was visible policing on the streets. “Patrolling officers are trying to get those loitering around back into their homes,” said Mbatha who added that most of them had to go to shops to stock up on food items. He was worried about the violation of the social distancing regulation.

“Please comply with the 1m distance requirement between any two of you and quickly return home,” adding that there was no cut off regulation of 9am shopping as shops selling essential items would be open.

“Also, soldiers are anticipated to come add on capacity to ensure full compliance with all aspects of the lockdown period.”

Also read: Twitter reacts to Tembisa, Alex, Ivory Park, Zandspruit not adhering to lockdown rules