SAPS asks public to comply with Covid regulations as station closures spike
Hlathi pleaded with residents to comply with government regulations as the police deal with the community on a daily basis, which increases their susceptibility to contracting Covid-19.
Frontline workers such as the police are bearing the brunt of new Covid-19 cases in the province. Since the start of the new year, a number of police stations have faced temporary closures as the rate of infections increase.
This has led to concerns being voiced by members of the public who questioned whether the measures in place are adequate to protect the police.
According to the provincial police spokesperson, Brig Leonard Hlathi, the police, in accordance with the protocols set out by the president and the Department of Health, are equipped to comply with the prescribed Covid-19 regulations.
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Lowvelder enquired about the impact the sporadic police station closures are having on service delivery and whether any plans are in place to counter this.
Hlathi said services at affected police stations are only disrupted for a short period of time to allow for the buildings to be decontaminated. He added that services are moved to a location close to the police station and usually restored about 12 hours after decontamination.
Hlathi cautioned the public that its members who visit police stations need to adhere to social distancing, wear cloth masks, sanitise before and after their visit and keep to the 21:00-to-05:00 curfew.
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“In terms of personal protective equipment, adequate measures are in place to curb the spread of Covid-19. The protocols prescribed by President Ramaphosa and the Department of Health are strictly adhered to at the police stations in the province.
“When a member tests positive, the entire building is decontaminated and contact tracing done to ensure that all who have been in contact with the member is tested and placed under quarantine,” said Hlathi.
He further requested all members of the community who visit police stations to first ensure they have tested negative for Covid-19.
This, Hlathi emphasised, is an effective way of curbing its further spread, considering that the new variant may be more contagious.
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“Covid-19 is a reality that we cannot escape. It is of vital importance that we stick to the curfew as the recent spikes can be attributed to late-night super-spreader events under the more relaxed level 3 lockdown regulations,” Hlathi concluded.
He was unable to provide a list of police stations that have faced closures, but the number has increased since the beginning of January, with some stations having closed twice in one week.
In light of this, Hlathi pleaded with residents to comply with government regulations as the police deal with the community on a daily basis, which increases their susceptibility to contracting Covid-19.
