Between 27 March and the morning of 3 April, the Stellenbosch SAPS office have arrested 91 people due to non-compliance of South Africa’s nationwide lockdown.
This was according to captain Nathalie Martin of Stellenbosch SAPS.
Apart from these arrests there has, however, been a drastic decrease in crime since the lockdown began, said Martin.
Martin said that all crimes, specifically contact and property crimes in Stellenbosch, have decreased.
Stellenbosch SAPS report a drastic decrease in crime since the nationwide lockdown began, on 27 March. PHOTO: MatieMedia archives/Josh du Plessis
The CEO of non-profit company Stellenbosch Watch, Reinhard Fourie, confirmed a decline in crime, except for people walking around unlawfully.
“Crime-wise and incident-wise let’s say [we get] about 15 calls a day – if we have to respond to suspicious-looking people, suspicious vehicles, break-ins, garage break-ins, motor vehicle break-ins, stolen stuff. [This number] is now down to two calls a day,” said Fourie.
Locals not taking it serious
According to Martins, the number of arrests shows that people are not serious about the 21-day lockdown.
“People all over Stellenbosch are coming into town and not wearing masks and gloves. Another concern for SAPS is that people are not keeping their distance when standing outside in lines to enter the shops,” said Martins.
Stellenbosch SAPS patrol the streets 24 hours and execute roadblocks daily during the lockdown, Martins said.
Crime in Stellenbosch has been quiet except for people walking around unlawfully, says Reinard Fourie, CEO of Stellenbosch Watch. PHOTO: Facebook/Stellenbosch Watch
This is a challenging time for the Stellenbosch community as they are dealing with the current unique situation, said Mart-Marié Haasbroek, Stellenbosch Municipality’s communications officer.
“We ask that residents; please adhere to the government regulations and stay at home,” Haasbroek said.
*Update: This article has been updated to correct the spelling of Nathalie Martin.