230 000 charged for violating lockdown regulations

Cele was briefing the media in Pretoria on Friday on South Africans’ compliance with the lockdown, which is currently at level 4 restrictions.

He said the arrests related to alcohol and cigarette-related offenses, illegal gatherings, failure to confine to places residence, cross border and inter-provincial movement, and transport-related offenses.

"Provinces with the highest number of arrests for contravention of lockdown regulations almost mirror the provincial infection rates with the Western Cape in the lead, followed by Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, and Gauteng," said Cele.

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The majority of arrested people were issued with fines and released on a warning, although some were granted bail pending court appearances. 

Cele said there has also been an increase in smuggling of contraband alcohol and tobacco between South Africa’s borders with Botswana, eSwatini, Lesotho, Mozambique, and Zimbabwe, as well as the sale of these products in the black market.