Local news in brief
ARREST
One person has been arrested after the police arrived at Shoprite in Barkly Road and threatened to disperse shoppers who did not adhere to the 1m social distancing requirements.
Shoppers were also ordered to take their children home and come back only when they needed supplies.
A man was arrested after he challenged the police.
Meanwhile shoppers are using trolleys and, in some instances, even wheelbarrows, to get their shopping home as taxi services have ground to a halt.
There is currently a strong police presence in Roodepan to ensure that residents adhere to the lockdown restrictions.
There is little evidence of SANDF soldiers in the city’s streets.
TAXI CHAOS
Choas has broken out at the Kimberley Taxi Rank in Bultftontein Road as shoppers, stocked with heavy grocery parcels, have missed the 9am deadline for taxis to stop operating.
The approximately 100 shoppers, who are still waiting for transport back to different parts of the city, have questioned how they are expected to get back home if the taxis do not operate. “We have meat and other frozen goods – we cannot sit here until 4pm when the taxis are allowed to operate again. What must we do?”
Others have pointed out that they were not aware that the taxis couldn’t operate after 9am. “This whole thing is unfair because the shops only open at 8am and then we had to wait in queues before we could go inside and do our shopping.”
HOMEVALE
Residents have called on the police and the army to take decisive action against members of the public who are ignoring the call to stay indoors.
In 12th Street in Homevale people are moving freely around in the streets, despite complaints by some residents that they should be indoors.
“Where is the deployment of the SAPS and the SANDF,” one resident said. “They should be on the streets ensuring that people heed the call by the President to remain on lockdown. People are walking around like it is a joke. I honestly fear we are all doomed and the funny thing is that we can only blame mankind,” the resident added.
Meanwhile concern has also been expressed about spaza shops being a breeding ground for the virus. “Money and goods are just exchanged at these shops and there is no hand sanitizer available at these shops, who trade informally.”
