Curfew still in place, Cele warns
Police Minister Bheki Cele has warned South Africans that the curfew is still place under level 2 of the lockdown.
This weekend was the first under the eased lockdown regulations and the first since the unbanning of the sale of alcohol.
Booze is suspected to have been a contributory factor in a crash in Pretoria West in the early hours of Sunday morning which claimed the lives of three Tshwane metro police officers.
The officers’ official vehicle collided head-on with a suspected drunk driver who was attempting to evade the police.
The suspect also died in the collision while his female passenger is recovering in hospital.
According to reports, empty and full bottles of alcohol were found inside the vehicle.
“The lives of these young officers were cut short by a man who chose to drink and act irresponsibly,” says Cele.
“While the alcohol ban has been lifted under lockdown level 2, It still remains the responsibility of those who consume alcohol to do so, without putting themselves and those around them in danger.”
He emphasised that the 10 pm curfew is still in place.
"If alcohol was consumed at home as per governments directive, the loss of lives could have been avoided.
“While this incident is a great loss to the metro police department, police officers will continue in their numbers, to enforce the law and clamp down hard, especially on reckless behaviour brought on by alcohol abuse.”
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