Ministers mulling possible move to level 3, says Cele
Police minister Bheki Cele has hinted at a possible easing of the national lockdown from level 4 to level 3.
Cele addressed the media in Edenvale‚ outside Pietermaritzburg‚ yesterday during a visit to KwaZulu-Natal to enforce compliance in certain areas.
The uMgungundlovu district has the third-highest number of confirmed cases of Covid-19 in the province (63), after iLembe (283) and eThekwini (840).
Cele revealed that the committee overseeing the regulations had been discussing a possible move to level 3 and was awaiting advice from experts.
He would not say when the government may look at easing the lockdown to level 3, which would, among other things, permit the sale of alcohol at specified times.
He said the Western Cape and Eastern Cape remained a cause for concern‚ while people in KwaZulu-Natal seemed to be only starting to adhere to social distancing and other regulations.
Cele said of the 253 police officers arrested nationally for a range of offences during the lockdown‚ 183 were from the Western Cape.
Commenting on the surge in the illicit cigarette trade in SA since the commencement of the lockdown, Cele said illicit trading had always been there but had picked up during this period.
He said the government could not be pushed by crime to change its policies.
“What we can’t do as a government‚ just because people are committing crime of the illicit trading‚ [is to] open it for that reason.”
On the subject of alcohol‚ Cele said the police had learnt a number of things during the lockdown‚ none more relevant than the contribution that alcohol played in many crimes.
He was adamant that the ban on alcohol sales‚ coupled with increased police visibility‚ had drastically reduced violent crime.
He said this was a point his department would engage the government on‚ in attempting to reassess the Liquor Act.
“One thing as the South African police we would like to propose is to have one national Liquor Act.
“At present‚ all provinces have their different acts.
“For instance‚ you find in [some] provinces that taverns are closing at 2am and in others at 10pm.
“So we’d like to have one overall thing.”
Cele said he would be engaging the government on various proposals‚ but could not divulge any information before he did so.