Soccer tournament organisers arrested in Limpopo for violating Covid-19 regulations

Acting Limpopo police commissioner, Major General Jan Scheepers has strongly condemned people who on Sunday, 28 June, threw stones at the police, damaging a state vehicle during a soccer tournament at Tlhabine village under Maake policing area outside Tzaneen.

A case of malicious damage to property has been opened and police investigations are continuing.

Police spokesperson Brigadier Motlafela Mojapelo said in a separate incident, police arrested two people for allegedly organising a soccer tournament at Mohlabaneng village under the Bolobedu policing area.

In the incident where police were allegedly attacked, Mojapelo said police had received information about a soccer tournament that was going on in the area and on arrival, both players and spectators started scattering in different directions and some ran towards the police, throwing stones at them. However, he said no police members were injured.

Mojapelo said the two arrested for organising a soccer tournament are aged 58 and 26, the latter a soccer player.

He said the tournaments were in contravention of the Disaster Management Act.

“The organizer paid R5,000 admission of guilt fine and the player paid R1,000,” Mojapelos said.

Scheepers warned community members to stop organising and attending soccer tournaments, whether as players or spectators, as this is still prohibited under the Disaster Management Act.

“The police will act against anyone who organises soccer tournaments and this will include arrest,” said Scheepers.

(Compiled by Makhosandile Zulu)

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