Bheki Cele goes on walkabout in KZN hotspot

Police minister Bheki Cele said he is impressed with the level of discipline shown by uMhlathuze residents under level 3 in the northern KwaZulu-Natal town on Tuesday.

Cele was speaking at the Richards Bay taxi rank, where together with transport, community safety and liaison MEC Bheki Ntuli, he appealed to the community to observe the new lockdown regulations under level 3 - particularly around the ban on alcohol sales and public consumption, the national curfew, social distancing and the mandatory wearing of masks.

uMhlathuze falls under the King Cetshwayo district, which together with eThekwini, Umgungundlovu, Ugu district, Harry Gwala and iLembe were identified as hotspots in KwaZulu-Natal by President Cyril Ramaphosa on Monday night.

“I am very pleased to see people in Richards Bay are wearing masks. I've walked around the mall and the taxi rank and it pleases my heart to say not a single person has been caught without a mask on,” Cele said.

His inspection in the town began at the Richards Bay police station, led by provincial police commissioner Lt Thembinkosi Jula, through the Boardwalk Mall and across to the Esikhaleni N2 highway, before making a final stop at the Sanlam Centre in Empangeni.

Cele said although he was impressed with what he had seen, there was a need for residents to be vigilant and cautious.

“The virus cannot travel. People travel, and so the virus travels too. Hence, we are trying to limit people from traveling,” he said.

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