“The DA has never supported the curfew, as we have never found it to be a rational or justifiable denial of freedom. But now more than ever, we believe it should be lifted once and for all, and before New Year’s Eve.
“People should be able to legally come together with friends and family to celebrate the start of 2022 and the end of an incredibly tough 2021.”
Police minister Bheki Cele made it clear last week police will adopt a zero-tolerance approach towards citizens who flout the regulations on New Year's Eve.
“There is no gqom after midnight. When you go around and hear noise, gqom and people singing, you get there and remind them the time has come to close down those things,” said Cele.
“The law says nobody moves, nobody drinks, nobody gets drunk after midnight.
“I’m told they still run parties along the beach. We’ll be walking together, we’ll go and check them there,” he said.
POLL | Should the government scrap the midnight curfew on New Year's Eve?
Image: GALLO IMAGES/ROGER SEDRES
It remains to be seen whether the government will heed the call by South Africans and politicians for the curfew to be relaxed on New Year's Eve.
Under alert level 1 lockdown the curfew is from midnight to 4am. Gatherings are limited to no more than 750 people indoors and no more than 2,000 people are allowed to gather outdoors.
Last week, scores of social media users took to Twitter to ask President Cyril Ramaphosa to ease the restrictions and allow churchgoers to attend special overnight prayer services.
DA leader John Steenhuisen called for the curfew to be lifted before the end of the year.
“The DA has never supported the curfew, as we have never found it to be a rational or justifiable denial of freedom. But now more than ever, we believe it should be lifted once and for all, and before New Year’s Eve.
“People should be able to legally come together with friends and family to celebrate the start of 2022 and the end of an incredibly tough 2021.”
Police minister Bheki Cele made it clear last week police will adopt a zero-tolerance approach towards citizens who flout the regulations on New Year's Eve.
“There is no gqom after midnight. When you go around and hear noise, gqom and people singing, you get there and remind them the time has come to close down those things,” said Cele.
“The law says nobody moves, nobody drinks, nobody gets drunk after midnight.
“I’m told they still run parties along the beach. We’ll be walking together, we’ll go and check them there,” he said.
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