Correspondent|South African police enforcing a coronavirus lockdown fired rubber bullets towards hundreds of shoppers queueing outside a supermarket in Johannesburg, according to eye witnesses.
Between 200 and 300 people gathered outside a popular grocery store, Shoprite, early Saturday in Yeoville, a crime-prone area in Johannesburg’s gritty central business district on day two of a nationwide lockdown.
But as they scrambled to secure their spots, many did not observe the recommended safe distance between them.
A South African policeman points his pump rifle to disperse a crowd of shoppers in Yeoville, Johannesburg, on Sunday Members of the SAP (South African Police Force) instruct citizens to stand in line according to the social distances regulations on day 2 of the 21 day national lockdown following President Cyril Ramaphosa’s declaration of a National Disaster as a result of COVID-19A South African policeman points his pump rifle to disperse a crowd of shoppers in Yeoville, Johannesburg, on Sunday Police arrived in 10 patrol vehicles and started firing rubber bullets towards the shoppers.
Startled shoppers trampled on each other and a woman with a baby on her back fell to the ground.
Later the police used whips to get the shoppers to observe social distancing rules.
A police officer enforces social distancing as he makes shoppers stretch their arms to ensure that they are at least one metre apart from one another while they queue outside a supermarket in Hillbrow, Johannesburg, on SaturdaySouth African police officers enforce social distancing as they make shoppers stretch their arms in front of themA South African police officer clears a jammed pump rifle of a colleague while enforcing social distancingPresident Cyril Ramaphosa has ordered South Africa’s 57 million people to stay at home for 21 days and deployed the police and the military to enforce the lockdown.
But many people, especially from poor neighbourhoods, have defied the order, going out in numbers looking for food.
While jogging and dog-walking are banned, shopping for food and other basics, but not alcohol, is permitted.
South Africa, which has 1,170 confirmed coronavirus cases, recorded its first death from the virus on Friday.
A woman crosses a nearly empty street at Maboneng precinct in Johannesburg, South Africa, SaturdayA woman observes from a window as South African policemen use pump rifles to shoot rubble bullets in an effort to disperse a crowd from a street of Hillbrow, Johannesburg, on March 28Source: Daily Mail – Articles