Tavern owner arrested for allegedly contravening lockdown regulations

Police in Mpumalanga have arrested a 50-year-old tavern owner in Marapyane village for allegedly contravening lockdown regulations by selling alcohol.

Police confiscated thousands of rands’ worth of liquor and charged the suspect with contravening the Disaster Management Act.

Meanwhile, in the North West, police in the Moretele Local Municipality dispersed more than 100 people found cleaning a cemetery.

Municipal spokesperson Mothupi Malebye, says a number of businesses have been closed for not complying with lockdown regulations.

”We were disappointed on our arrival at Mmotla cemetery. The police engaged with those people and gave them the advice that they must go home and ensure that they stay at home,” adds Malebye.

”As part of compliance, three shops have been closed around the area of Makapanstad, some of them were selling tobacco and which is against the regulations,” explains Malebye.

Police officers arrested for allegedly obtaining liquor against lockdown regulations

Meanwhile, a joint operation between the police detectives from Montagu, Bonnievale and Worcester in the Western Cape has led to the arrest of seven police officers for allegedly obtaining liquor in contravention of the COVID-19 regulations.

The police officials who live in Bonnievale allegedly faked a complaint of a burglar alarm and a housebreaking at a liquor premises in Bonnievale.

They have been detained at the police station in Montagu and will appear in the Swellendam Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday. They also face a charge of defeating the ends of justice.

Meanwhile, there have been calls for the lifting of the ban on alcohol sale and consumption.

The Gauteng Liquor Board to government to change the regulations on the sale of alcohol.

The organisation says the lockdown regulations breach their member’s constitutional right to choose their trade, occupation or profession freely. It says since the announcement on the total ban on the sale of alcohol their clients’ businesses have been negatively affected.

There is a court case coming up this week, which will seek to compel president Cyril Ramaphosa to allow the selling of alcohol in the country during the lockdown.

Police Minister Bheki Cele says South Africans must continue to adhere to lockdown regulations.

In the video below, Bheki Cele warns against the sale of alcohol: 

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Source: SABC News (sabcnews.com)