Government Of South Africa Vows To Ensure Covid-19 Protocols

South African government officials have vowed to be very strict in the quest to reinforce rules and regulations concerning the new variant of covid-19.

This was reinstated last most after the Coronavirus resurged and fuelled by a more transmissible variant leading to a new partial lockdown.

Since the vow, South African police have arrested more than 7,000 people caught without face masks in public since the end of December, the government said today.

In the process to reinforce the covid-19 protocols, Officials made face coverings mandatory in May last year at the same time as they gradually eased movement restrictions imposed in March to stem coronavirus infections. Officials at the time vowed to be more stringent in enforcing the regulations, which include an alcohol sales ban. 

According to Police Minister, Bheki Cele on Wednesday, more than 20,000 people had been arrested or fined since December 29 for breaching the new rules, including 7,455 people detained for not wearing face masks.

“Law enforcement agencies do not enjoy making these arrests, however, officers… are left with no choice in the interest of saving lives,” Cele noted in a statement.

The country is the continent’s worst-affected by the pandemic, with more than 1.2 million coronavirus cases and 34,000 deaths recorded to date.

The government has urged its citizens to follow every lay down rules to overcome the covid-19 pandemic.

By Anita Addy