Local police said they have stepped up checks in Boksburg streets to ensure people are complying with level three Covid-19 regulations, as recently announced by President Cyril Ramaphosa.
However, some people are still choosing to shrug off the Covid-19 regulations, with others visiting public spaces without wearing their masks.
Both Reiger Park Police Station, Boksburg Police Station and Boksburg North Police Station told the Advertiser their members are more present on the streets conducting operations, which include major roadblocks.
Businesses such as restaurants, entertainment establishments and liquor outlets are among their focus of action, where they check that businesses stick to their limits on times of operation and maintaining social distance, ensuring that people are wearing their masks. They said officers also monitor compliance, such as wearing of mask in public spaces, and that people are not on the streets during the 9pm to 5am curfew.
Reiger Park SAPS arrests regulation transgressors
According to Reiger Park SAPS spokesperson Sgt Mashudu Phathela, officers have for the past couple of weeks arrested a number of people found to be breaching the country’s level three anti-Covid rules within their policing precinct.
Phathela, however, pointed out that officers are facing tough times to get people to comply, especially during the holiday period when only a few people were complying with the lockdown regulations.
He said many people were disregarding the rules, flouting the curfew and not wearing masks or social distancing.
“We have arrested quite a number of people for contravening lockdown rules, such as not wearing masks and being on the streets during the curfew. When found others made some excuses for breaching the rules, with others saying they were rushing to attend to their sick children or that their sick relatives had just phoned them to come and assist,” said Phathela.
When asked whether or not officers are encountering difficulties when policing Covid-19 restrictions, Phathela said: “The pandemic is affecting every sector including our police station where we sometimes get positive cases resulting in members having to isolate for a few days, and this strains our resources.”
He added that to keep up with the demand, management is at times forced to call officers who are not supposed to be on duty to come and replace the team that had to go and isolate.
Boksburg SAPS monitors compliance
Meanwhile, the Boksburg SAPS spokesperson, Sgt Ntsako Ledwaba, said their members are always out on the streets monitoring level three lockdown compliance.
“When carrying out normal routine patrols, our members also look out for people transgressing the regulations of the lockdown. In December, officers from the station arrested a taxi driver caught operating a public transport without wearing a mask in Plantation,” said Ledwaba.
Boksburg North SAPS
According to Boksburg North spokesperson, Const Justice Ramaube, community members around the Boksburg North and Dawn Park SAPS are generally adhering to the lockdown regulations
A number of people have been arrested for being in possession of alcohol inside their vehicles during stop and search operations by the Boksburg North police since the adjusted level three lockdown was initiated last year December.
According to the police, apart from such infringements, residents around their policing precinct have been complying with the lockdown regulations.
“We have so far arrested a few people for Contravening the Disaster Management Act by not wearing masks in public.
“We have had a number of people who were arrested last year because they would lie in court and say that when they were arrested they had masks on, but would alleged that police took their masks away. Since the beginning of 2021 people have been complying by wearing masks in public,” Ramaube said.
In terms of the sale of alcohol, Ramaube said they have received tip-offs from community members who knew places where alcohol is being sold illegally, but when officers conduct searches they would find no alcohol.
Dawn Park SAPS
Meanwhile, officers at the Dawn Park SAPS are having a hard time dealing with public gatherings.
“Residents around our policing area are still gathering in huge numbers during the day compared to evenings. In the evenings they are confining to their residences during curfew,” Mahlangu said.
In regards to the wearing of masks, the community are said to be complying with the regulations of mask wearing.
According got he SAPS, shebeens, tarvens and night clubs have been adhering to the regulations by remaining closed since the President’s announcement in December.
Mask violators
Despite what has just been said, and with the growing rate of Covid-19 infections and deaths, the Advertiser has noticed there are still people who refuse to adhere to various safety protocols.
Despite government’s repeated calls for adherence to the protocols in place, many people are still choosing to go to public spaces and interact with others without wearing their masks.
It was also noted that some people tend to only wear their masks when they enter certain establishments, such as shopping centres, public transport and certain facilities where staff ensure visitors comply with the law.
Police remind the public that wearing of masks in public space is mandatory under the adjusted level three lockdown, and failure to comply with the rules may lead to arrest and on conviction, the perpetrator is liable to a fine and/or a period of imprisonment.
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