Norton Member of Parliament Temba Mliswa (pictured above)
had a heated exchange with police officers deployed to enforce lockdown
measures in his constituency over the Easter holiday whom he accused of
dereliction of duty.
A video clip circulating widely on social media shows
Mliswa shouting at two police officers for allegedly failing to compel a
supermarket manager to wear a face mask to curb the spread of the Covid-19
pandemic.
Mliswa is heard praising some police constables for
enforcing the social distancing rules but castigates a senior police officer,
identified as Inspector Gumunyu, for failing to enforce the lockdown
regulations by allowing the supermarket manager to work without a mask.
He goes on to call someone he claims to be the Police
Commissioner-General Godwin Matanga complaining about the reluctance of the
police officers to enforce the law.
Mliswa is heard threatening the police officers with
transfer from Norton saying he had the influence to effect such a move.
“I am going straight to the CG (Commissioner-General) if
you don’t know me that well. We enact the law for you to enforce but you become
so stubborn. You do not deserve to be an officer-in-charge. You must leave
Norton,” Mliswa charged.
National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul
Nyathi last night said he was not aware if police had been asked to handle the
matter.
“I am not very sure about the status of that case. Let me
check what happened,” said Asst Comm Nyathi.
Some commentators on social media, however, deplored
Mliswa’s conduct saying it was tantamount to intimidating and harassing the
police.
“Yes, the police should enforce the law but what we see
here is an issue that appears to have been blown out of proportion by Mliswa.
In the video, he is heard admitting that all the till operators were wearing
face masks. A shop manager would not ordinarily interact with customers,” said
one Tendai Mahaso. Herald
0 comments:
Post a Comment