Covid-19: Health department gets interdict to stop church gathering in Gauteng

The Gauteng department of health has obtained another coronavirus-related court order — this time against a church in Katlehong, Ekurhuleni.

The church has effectively been restrained from convening a service that is not in accordance with gazetted regulations related to the coronavirus.

Gauteng health MEC Dr Bandile Masuku's spokesperson Kwara Kekana said in a statement on Friday that concerns about the church gathering were brought to the department's attention by the community where the church was based.

“Non-compliance of the gazetted regulations can result in a fine or an arrest. Mass gatherings expose people to great risk,” said Kekana.

“The measures that have been announced by President Cyril Ramaphosa are put in place to help contain and prevent the further spread of Covid-19,” said Kekana.

The department has appealed to the public to take the regulations seriously and be part of the solution in dealing with the outbreak.

Police minister Bheki Cele on Friday made it clear that those not abiding by the regulations, including churches, would find themselves on the wrong side of the law.

“It’s not just a promise, it’s what we will do. Those people [who continue to gather], even if they are church leaders, we will act on them,” he said.

“Stop that thing of opposing the government and the law. Churches in the country are subjected to the law.”