Police used heavy-handed tactics to enforce the 21-day national lockdown in Hillbrow, Johannesburg, on Saturday, firing rubber bullets and sjamboking those who would not get off the streets.<\/p>\n
Scores of SA Police Service officers, Johannesburg metro police and Gauteng traffic officers descended on the area on Saturday afternoon.<\/p>\n
With sirens blaring, officers cordoned off streets, screaming at people, many of whom were queuing outside small spaza shops.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are the law! We are the law! Now, f**k off!,\u201d yelled a sergeant at shoppers outside a spaza shop after which terrified people started running for cover.<\/p>\n
A shopper screamed back at an officer who had broken his table which he used to sell a few groceries.<\/p>\n
The officer yelled back and handcuffed him, accusing him of selling cigarettes which have been outlawed under the national lockdown regulations.<\/p>\n
A sergeant, who would not be named, said they were there to enforce the law.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf people stay on the streets, they will die. I\u2019m trying to save these peoples\u2019 lives but they won\u2019t listen. What must we do? This is not the time to ask nicely. This is about enforcement.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf one person gets sick here in Hillbrow can you imagine what will happen to others here. It will be a disaster.\u201d<\/p>\n
As he loaded the suspect into the back of the police van, a fish and chips vendor pleaded for mercy.<\/p>\n
\u201cPlease, it\u2019s fish and chips I\u2019m selling. Just leave my store,\u201d said the man, who would only introduce himself as Mr Patel.<\/p>\n
The officers told him they were after people selling alcohol and who were drinking on the streets.<\/p>\n
\u201cDon\u2019t worry, uBaba, you are fine. We are not here for you. You are good, you may stay and carry on selling your groceries,\u201d said a smiling constable.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Police used heavy-handed tactics to enforce the 21-day national lockdown in Hillbrow, Johannesburg, on Saturday, firing rubber bullets and sjamboking those who would not get off the streets. Scores of SA Police Service officers, Johannesburg metro police and Gauteng traffic officers descended on the area on Saturday afternoon. With sirens blaring, officers cordoned off streets, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":84,"featured_media":21256,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3,12],"tags":[1199,39],"class_list":{"0":"post-21255","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-all-news","8":"category-policy","9":"tag-south-aftica","10":"tag-zimbabwe-republic-police"},"yoast_head":"\n