WATCH | Gauteng cop prays for pastor before arresting him for breaking lockdown rules
Social media users have saluted and praised a police officer captured praying before arresting a pastor for contravening the Disaster Management Act.
The clip, shared widely on social media, shows the officer saying a short prayer before handcuffing the offending pastor.
In the video, the officer first outlines why the pastor has to be arrested and rebukes him for disobeying South African and global laws and "misleading God's children" as a man of the cloth.
👊🙌👏🙏I salute! him man in uniform #COVID19SouthAfrica pic.twitter.com/jQlgpXywNR
— Minister of Transport |Mr Fix (@MbalulaFikile) April 19, 2020
He then says police are forced to arrest him in the name of the "Father, Son and Holy Spirit".
Police spokesperson Brig Vishnu Naidoo confirmed the incident to TimesLive, explaining that it happened in Phumulani, Alberton, on Sunday afternoon.
According to Naidoo, police responded to a tip-off about a church service under way despite lockdown regulations.
Upon arrival, police found the pastor preaching to the congregation, and informed him of the violation and their intention to arrest him.
"The pastor requested to pray for our members before they arrested him. Instead, the sergeant decided to say his own prayer before arresting the pastor. The pastor was then arrested and taken to the [Alberton] police station where a case docket was opened.
"He was charged with contravening the regulations and was later released and warned to appear in the Germiston magistrate's court on July 3 2020," Naidoo said.
The clip garnered many positive reactions from users, who praised the cop for carrying out his duties. Some even said he deserved an award.