Police, SANDF received no training in implementing lockdown regulations

25 May 2020

The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Gauteng is not surprised to learn that the SAPS, Metropolitan Police and SANDF received no training in implementing the national lockdown regulations.

This was revealed by the Gauteng Community Safety MEC, Faith Mazibuko in an oral reply to the DA’s questions during a virtual sitting of the Gauteng Provincial Legislature (GPL).

According to MEC Mazibuko, there was no training provided to the law enforcement agencies in terms of implementing the lockdown regulations.

This clearly explains why the police are always flip-flopping in terms of implementing the lockdown regulations which has resulted in the unlawful arrests of innocent law-abiding citizens.

Furthermore, the MEC said 38 698 people have been arrested to date for violating the lock-down regulations in Gauteng and only 25 279 cases have been taken to court. Of these cases, 1387 cases have been postponed due to the lockdown regulations.

The DA is concerned that the law enforcement agencies have not received any training in implementing the lockdown regulations which is why there is confusion and lack of clarity on what people can and can’t be arrested and detained for during the lockdown.

This clearly indicates that law enforcement agencies are interpreting and implementing these regulations incorrectly.

The DA calls on both MEC Mazibuko and Gauteng SAPS Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant General Elias Mawela to ensure that the law enforcement agencies are provided with training on how to implement the lockdown regulations so that they can differentiate between what is an offence and what is not an offence in terms of failing to comply with the lockdown regulations. In so doing, it will protect our people from being unlawfully harassed and arrested by the police.

Issued by Michael Shackleton, DA Gauteng Spokesperson for Community Safety, 25 May 2020