WATCH: From crowds in Alex to people still jogging, 21-day lockdown off to a rocky start
On Friday morning after law enforcement took to the streets on patrol, dozens in townships flocked to chain stores in various townships,
Scenes from Alex on Friday.
The 21-day lockdown period has apparently had a bumpy start as citizens adapt to new legislation announced by Cabinet as part of the national state of disaster declared by President Cyril Ramaphosa.
People have already been thrown into the back of police vans for not heeding Ramaphosa’s order of a lockdown at midnight.
Some of the issues many people around South Africa seem to have had include the following:
Transport
While Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula announced that minibus taxis and other e-hailing taxi services such as Uber and Bolt would only be allowed on the roads between 5am and 9am and 4pm and 8pm if they carry essential workers, it seems several people were left stranded in several parts of Johannesburg due to minimal public transport outflow.
The Reya Vaya bus system was flooded on Friday morning, as some commuters woke to the timed period of travel as announced by Mbalula.
Cape Town was no different as police urged some commuters who were headed to work that there were too many people that had gathered at one spot.
#LockdownSA A taxi rank in Cape Town today pic.twitter.com/TFsrDSoUxu
— Yusuf Abramjee (@Abramjee) March 27, 2020
Mbalula took to Twitter to address an issue which had apparently arisen on Friday morning of some taxi drivers charging commuters extra to make up for the legally enforced requirement of vacant seats. An eight-seater vehicle is now only allowed to carry three people, and a four-seater only one.
In a tweet, he said he would engage with various members of the taxi unions in an attempt to address the issue.
I am receiving many reports on this. Taxi drivers aren’t allowed to charge people for empty seats.
I will interact with the Taxi-unions on this and it shouldn’t be allowed to continue.
We must all work together- not for our own interest but for that of our people. https://t.co/9Vyfx0r1Qm
— ANC SECRETARY GENERAL | Cde Mbalula (@MbalulaFikile) March 27, 2020
Stockpiling
Long queues of shoppers were seen in Alexandra and other townships as locals disregarded both the order to minimise the number of people at a particular area and the 21-day lockdown order to stay at home as much as possible.
While some have questioned the timing of the country’s lockdown, which came before payday for some, the Alexandra community was flooding to shopping stores in an attempt to buy items.
https://twitter.com/ChabaNagi/status/1243437023219908608?s=20
https://twitter.com/Slindelo_M/status/1243427998365134849?s=20
#LockdownSA #CoronaVirusSA Shoppers queuing to enter Freedom Supermaket in Alexandra on the first day of the national lockdown @TeamNews24 pic.twitter.com/RzfCvEtw6Z
— ntwaagae Seleka (@ntwaagae) March 27, 2020
Tembisa township was also among the list of townships that had people flocking to the shops.
Meanwhile Tembisa e re #LockdownSA for who?? #21daysLockdownSA pic.twitter.com/5cf0MmhIFu
— mufasa (@MrDeighjay) March 27, 2020
The reality is that people have been working till yesterday. As a result, most populated shops are in townships. My hope is that police don’t become unreasonable; a person who is heading to a shop is not breaking lockdown rules! Allow the working class so they too can #StayAtHome
— Mbuyiseni Ndlozi (@MbuyiseniNdlozi) March 27, 2020
‘Lawlessness’
From taxis operating during the national lockdown to some Pretoria locals going for a jog in the early hours of Friday morning, it seems law enforcement will have a major challenge to overcome in the first few days of the lockdown.
Runners : what are you doing?
Journalist : taking a video of you running during the lockdown !
Italian mayor: where are you going ?
Real talk- You can jog indoors. In the estate. On the treadmill.
Footage from @News24 pic.twitter.com/swmECUc7eo
— Africa Research Desk 📚📁 (@MightiJamie) March 27, 2020
Homeless people across cities were being taken to different shelters to ensure they were adequately isolated during the outbreak of Covid-19.
#Lockdown Homeless people in the JHB CBD being taken to places of safety. @CityofJoburgZA @GautengProvince @Lesufi @gpgSocDev @David_Makhura pic.twitter.com/nay0lSvSmx
— Yusuf Abramjee (@Abramjee) March 27, 2020
Amid the bustle of Friday’s rush, scores of disgruntled workers reportedly gathered outside the department of labour in Port Elizabeth to submit UIF claim forms.
For more news your way, download The Citizen’s app for iOS and Android.
