Police arrest Pretoria man who recorded himself at a large gathering

A 36-year old Pretoria man, who recorded himself poking fun at efforts to contain the novel coronavirus during a gathering of more than 100 people, was arrested late on Friday night.

Police Minister Bheki Cele’s office said the man was returning from a funeral with friends on 21 March when they gathered at Temba Square in Hammanskraal and started playing music and drinking alcohol in public, in what has become known as an “after tears” ceremony.

The man had contravened regulations associated with the state of disaster the country finds itself in, by attending the gathering of more than 100 people and poking fun at the government’s efforts to contain the spread of the virus.

“Guys, you can see for yourselves, Hammanskraal has life. You can see, look,” the man said in the short video.

“It’s all over. There isn’t a single person wearing a mask. Those things don’t work. There’s life in Hammanskraal. Look how full it is and all the taverns are closed, they closed at 13:00.

He was tracked down and arrested at 23:30 on Friday.

“This should come as a warning to those who continue to make a mockery of the Covid-19 scourge and undermine the efforts of government, that the law will not be kind to their ilk,” Cele said as he commended officers for the arrest.

Cele encouraged people to report the spread of fake news to the Hawks’ serious commercial crime unit via email at either govindasamip@saps.gov.za or cavenportb@saps.gov.za

On Friday, Cele announced that 55 people had been arrested nationally for defying the lockdown by, among others, participating in street bashes or sitting in a group and drinking alcohol in public.

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