'Titanic coming,' MEC warns as hundreds party on Soweto streets

Gauteng community safety MEC Faith Mazibuko on Saturday warned that more Covid-19 infections could be expected as hundreds of people partied the night away in Soweto and  broke lockdown regulations.

Mazibuko was at a police operation in Diepkloof, Soweto, on Saturday evening to enforce adjusted level 1 lockdown regulations.

Police dispersed a number of gatherings where people did not observe social distancing and where few masks could be seen at packed venues that spilt over into the streets.

Police were also looking for liquor outlets not complying with regulations and street parties.

“What you see there is a Titanic coming. More and more infections coming. More and more people sharing hookah pipes,” Mazibuko told eNCA.

She said people were supposed to be wearing masks and not sharing things.

“It is saddening and demoralising to think that, as government, we are putting every effort in trying to reduce the numbers and even the president putting [in place] regulations, but still people just ignore those regulations.

“Others are walking without masks, lots and lots of gatherings, street bashes. People are carrying cooler boxes, sitting on the pavements, cars blocking the road,” Mazibuko said.

Acting provincial commissioner of police in Gauteng, Maj-Gen Tommy Mthombeni was also at the police operation, and said police had arrested not less than seven people for driving under the influence of liquor on Saturday.

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