While the current lockdown regulations stipulate that only 100 people are allowed to gather outside, approximately 1 500 people participated in an EFF march from Gandhi Park to the police station in Phoenix, KwaZulu Natal, while ironically being accompanied by the police.
It is unacceptable that the police did not lift a finger while lockdown regulations were blatantly being violated, but instead provided escort.
This is precisely the kind of conduct that creates the impression among people that they can violate the regulations with impunity and that, in turn, fans the flames of lawlessness.
The FF Plus will take up the matter in Parliament and the Minister of Police, Bheki Cele, will have to explain why some people are not arrested in certain cases, while action is taken against others.
The police's assurance that law and order will be strictly maintained, particularly after the large-scale rioting of a few weeks back, is clearly no more than lip service.
Today's events demonstrate that the police force is clearly powerless and has opted to cooperate with the masses in violating the law.
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