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#SAlockdown: 3 098 arrested in FS, more than 17 000 in SA

───   LUCKY NKUYANE 12:52 Fri, 03 Apr 2020

#SAlockdown: 3 098 arrested in FS, more than 17 000 in SA | News Article

A whopping total of 3 098 people have been arrested during the lockdown in the Free State alone, making it the province with the second highest number of arrests in the country.


The province that recorded the largest number of arrests in South Africa so far is the Western Cape with 4 769.  Police minister, Bheki Cele, says the suspects were arrested for offences that vary between transport-related offences, liquor-related and general non-compliance with the regulations. 

On Thursday night, Cele said 368 people were arrested in the province between 27 and 30 March. In the latest results released on Friday morning, however, Cele says by close of business on 31 March 2020, the total number of arrests had reached  17 209 since the start of the lockdown.  

Meanwhile, two other provinces in Central South Africa, which include North West and the Northern Cape, have recorded a notable number of 832 arrests in the NC and 1 562 in NW. 

During the National Command Council's media briefing last night, Cele welcomed the revisions by the council to the lockdown regulations and elaborated on aspects of the regulations under his department. He says amendments to the regulations now allow certain individuals to move between provinces, metropolitan and district areas, for purposes of transporting the deceased's body for burial.

"According to the regulations, persons travelling for the purpose of a burial/cremation may obtain a permit to travel from a magistrate or from a Police Station Commander or his/her delegate, on the provision of a death certificate or a certified copy thereof. "It is important for the individual seeking a permit to also give their date of return that will reflect on the permit," he adds. 

He also reiterates that the limit on the number of people to attend a funeral remains 50, in order to maintain the effort to curb the spread of the coronavirus. He further adds that all-night vigil services are still strictly prohibited for the duration of the lockdown.

"With regards to spaza shops, an instruction will be issued to the more than 24 000 members on deployment from the SAPS, SANDF, Metro Police and other law enforcement agencies, to understand that all spaza shops and informal food traders with the necessary permits from the relevant Municipality will be allowed to operate," he further said. 


Provincial breakdown of total arrests:


Gauteng - 1 888


Western Cape - 4 769


KwaZulu-Natal - 1 845


Eastern Cape - 1 613


Northern Cape - 832


North West - 1 562


Free State - 3 098


Mpumalanga - 752


Limpopo - 850


TOTAL - 17 209


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