THERE was widespread defiance yesterday of the Government
directive for people to stay home during the 21-day lockdown period that came
into effect on Monday.
Government has come up with a number of regulations aimed
at stopping the spread of Covid-19 that has resulted in one death from eight
positive cases.
Since Monday, a national lockdown was effected amid hopes
that the restriction on movement would reduce contact between people and stifle
the growing contagion. Ending or bringing infections to manageable levels
largely depends on compliance with the stay at home orders.
“Defying the lockdown poses problems for a country as cases
can overwhelm hospitals and health personnel.
While most Bulawayo residents heeded the Government’s call
for those not offering critical services to the nation on Monday, on day two of
the lockdown yesterday some people were back to their old ways.
In residential areas, a Chronicle news crew observed many
people roaming across the city’s high-density suburbs while in the low-density
suburbs it was relatively quiet albeit with more human and vehicular traffic as
compared to Monday.
In Entumbane suburb, groups of men were seen drinking beer
around Entumbane complex.
Along Luveve Road near the complex and in Luveve all the
way to Gwabalanda there were illegal fuel dealers selling the commodity from
Honda Fit vehicles.
A number of men and women were seen displaying wares for
sale while groups of men sat on either side of the road drinking beer and
playing cards.
In Makokoba, Njube, Pumula South, Luveve and Gwabalanda
suburbs, groups of children were playing on the streets and some were being
sent for different errands.
In nearly all the suburbs, vendors were back to their
designated and undesignated vending stalls, conducting business, attracting
many people.
Some people, especially youths were sitting in groups on
bridges and trenches while others were milling around at shops and other public
places.
In some neighbourhoods, people were visiting each other.
Some men who were playing cards outside J-Themba store in
Gwabalanda suburb were hostile to the news crew after they were asked if they
knew about how the virus spread and why they were in defiance of the
Government’s directive.
In Njube, some women who were grouped under a tree while
one of them was having her hair done said they thought they were not in any
violation of the lockdown as they were in their neighborhood right outside
their yards.
In Makokoba, some men who were busy welding and making
scotch carts at backyard industries said they had orders to finish and could
not just pack and go home as they were also working from their neighbourhoods.
In the Central Business District (CBD), some vendors were
back at their selling points. A few pirate taxis were also seen picking up some
passengers.
Certain areas of the CBD were busy with queues and at some
shops people were queuing for mealie-meal and other basic commodities. Flea
markets remained closed as well as most vegetable markets.
Some of the people who were interviewed said they had only
received their salaries yesterday and were therefore trying to ensure they had
all that they needed for the three-week lockdown.
Other people in townships said they could not spend days at
home as they were looking for cheaper shops to buy basic goods from for
families.
A Gwabalanda resident, Mr Stanly Sithole said it was easier
to stay at home if someone had all food supplies needed for the shut-down.
“If you have all you need, you can stay at home, but if you
have nothing, how do you sit at home and watch the children starve.
“Those children will be killed by hunger before you even
think of Covid-19 killing them.
“If things are not ok at home, we will roam the streets, it
is a sign that all is not well, police must bear with us,” said Mr Sithole.
Bulawayo police spokesperson Inspector Abednico Ncube said
so far police have arrested one man in Njube suburb after he violated standing
orders.
He said police first gave the man a warning when he was
found selling wares at a shopping centre in the suburb.
The man was told to pack up and go home by police officers.
Insp Ncube said however the man left and set up a vending
stall at the gate at his house.
Many people were frequenting his house to buy, leading to
his arrest.
Inspector Ncube said police are going to arrest people
found milling around and violating the lockdown order.
“We call on members of the public to abide by the law and
to stay at home at this time.
“This virus is real and we appeal to people to take their
lives and their health seriously by staying at home.
“Parents should ensure that their children are within the
confines of their yards all the time and we have been observing that a number
of children have been playing in the streets.
“We also urge youths to stay at home and stop milling
around at the shops,” he said.
“We will not hesitate to use the law to deal with any
people who fail to abide by the given orders.
“We have been going around suburbs being lenient on people
and urging them that this should be followed.
“The majority has been obeying but we do have cases of
people who have been in defiance and we are issuing this warning that they may
find themselves in murky waters.”
In Victoria Falls the business community took heed of the
call for the lockdown and closed shops with supermarkets operating between 8am
and 4pm latest while residents generally ignored the call as they could be seen
going about their daily business.
Tuckshops were open in the suburbs while people moved
around willy nilly with children also playing on the streets. The vegetable
markets were also open.
In Gweru, shops in the CBD and in the high- and low-density
areas were closed for the second day of the Covid-19 lockdown.
Police mounted roadblocks along all roads leading to the
CBD turning back motorists who did not havee valid reasons to be away from
their homes.
A few people were seen roaming around the streets in Mkoba,
Senga, Mtapa, Mambo and Ascot.
In Gwanda residents have started complying with lock down
order.
In the CBD there were no people at the market stalls, bars
were closed and only grocery shops were open with few clients.
Police were conducting foot and cycle patrols in the CBD
and residential areas. Chronicle
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