Police issue stern warning to preachers, churchgoers over lockdown services

Police have vowed to clamp down on churchgoers  who continue to violate lockdown regulations.

This weekend, two separate Eastern Cape Easter church services were cut short in Elliotdale and Whittlesea during police raids. The incidents raised eyebrows after they were widely circulated on social media.

On Sunday afternoon, national police spokesperson Brigadier Vish Naidoo told DispatchLIVE that they would leave no stone unturned. The tough stance taken by the police has been lauded by social media users, who were incensed and amused by the videos of the raids on the illegal church services.

“The pastors that continue to hold church gatherings are behaving irresponsibly and putting lives of people at great risk,” Naidoo told DispatchLIVE.

“If found, they will face the full might of the law. Congregants who are attending such gatherings too know that they must refrain from doing so and are warned that too will be arrested and dealt with in terms of the disaster management regulations,” he added.

On Sunday, Eastern Cape premier Oscar Mabuyane has phoned him to say that the Eastern Cape was the least compliant of the provinces when it came the following lockdown rules for funerals.

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