The Sunday News
Munyaradzi Musiiwa, Midlands Correspondent
MORE than 4 500 people have been arrested in the Midlands Province for flouting lockdown regulations as security forces descend on companies and individuals who are failing to comply with the Government directive on operating under national lockdown.
Speaking during Vice-President Kembo Mohadi’s visit to Midlands last week, Provincial Taskforce chairperson on lockdown implementation Brigadier-General Simo Maseko said the security forces were closing down businesses that fail to comply with the lockdown regulations.
Brig-Gen Maseko said more than 4 500 people have so far been arrested in the province for flouting lockdown regulations.
“We are also working with the Ministry of Health and Child Care and other health authorities to ensure that companies comply with health directives from Government so as to operate. Any company that flouts those regulations we are closing them. From the first announcement of the lockdown up to date 4 507 people have been arrested for flouting lockdown regulations,” he said.
He said Government had asked Zesa to set up vending kiosks for the purchase of power tokens in most high-density suburbs to minimise the movement of people into the Central Business District (CBD).
“Our duty is to implement the lockdown and ensuring that there is compliance. We are very visible through road blocks and patrols. People are still flouting lockdown regulations mostly through failing to observe social distancing as people queue for basic commodities. Some of the challenges have been addressed. People also used to get into town in the first five days of the month to purchase Zesa power tokens. There was a misconception that the units are cheaper when purchased at the beginning of the month. That has since been demystified. Zesa has opened vending kiosks in various high-density suburbs in various towns and cities in Midlands,” he said.
Brig-Gen Maseko said the security forces also grappled with fake travelling exemption letters and counterfeit Zupco commuter omnibuses.
“We also faced challenges with exemption letters that are also fake. I would want to assure you that we will do away with that. We also had fake Zupco kombis but we dealt with that as well,” he said.
