SAPS Showered Lockdown Level 3 Defiant With Bullets In A Standoff
In the wake of an increase of Covid-19 in covid related deaths and infections, the government of South Africa implemented Level 3 to curb the rise of infections. On Sunday no praise and worships melodies were heard or praise to the Lord as SAPS showered lockdown defiance with bullets in a standoff.
Instead, all anyone could hear was a loud voetsek and loud stun grenades as cops dispersed congregants at churches in Sebokeng zone 7 in the Vaal, South of Joburg. Even rubber bullets flew as some churches refused to stop their services.
SAPS were disgruntled by the conduct exhibited by the local church for not taking hid to the new lockdown measures introduced by the government. The men and women in blue were unhappy that church services still continued despite level 3 regulations prohibiting such.
Failure by the church members to disperse led to a standoff that resulted in a war about an hour between stubborn congregants and cops.
The shootout occurred after at least 250 congregants started attacking the police. It didn’t take time for the police to respond. Police started firing rubber bullets to displace the stubborn congregation.
SAPS Showered Lockdown Level 3 Defiant With Bullets In A Standoff
In an interview with eNCA, church member Nkosana Dlomo lashed at the police for their conduct.
One white policeman turned our own black people against us
We are permitted to conduct the church service. As a church complied with all lockdown regulations but I wonder why we were dispersed.
– said Nkosana.
“Some congregants indicated that they didn’t know that churches were not allowed to operate.”
Provincial Cop Spokeswoman Brigadier Mathapelo Peters had this to say
Police in Sebokeng, Sedibeng District on Sunday 10 January 2021, arrested three suspects. Amongst the suspects, two of them were male church leaders. The leaders were arrested for contravening the COVID-19 Disaster Management Act, Adjusted Level 3 lockdown regulations.
However, Peters indicated that the law enforcing agents were going to monitor and make sure people adhere to the regulations.