Durban – If you're found loitering after midnight on New Year's Day, you will be arrested.
In an interview with TimesLive, Police Minister Bheki Cele, has urged people to comply with lockdown restrictions or face the full might of the law.
Cele has said people will only be allowed to drink at home, listening to soft music. He has warned that police will act if there is a report of public disturbance.
South Africa is currently on an adjusted level 1 with a midnight to 4am curfew in place.
Despite widespread calls for President Cyril Ramaphosa to scrap the curfew on New Year's Eve, Cele said he did not think it was the right time.
Referencing massive Covid-19 spikes in England and America, Cele said despite a large percentage of people being vaccinated, cases were still increasing. He called on people to be patient.
South Africa on Wednesday recorded 9 020 new Covid-19 cases. A further 81 Covid-related deaths have been recorded.
The NICD said this represents a 26% positivity rate.
The majority of Wednesday's new cases were from KwaZulu-Natal (28%), followed by Western Cape (21%). Gauteng accounted for 21%; Eastern Cape accounted for 15%; Free State accounted for 5%; Limpopo, Mpumalanga, and North West each accounted for 3% respectively; and Northern Cape accounted for 2% of new cases.
IOL