The national lockdown has seemingly driven South Africans to resort to desperate measures in finding ways to thwart the regulations.
On Friday, a man was arrested at a roadblock on the N12 for allegedly trying to smuggle his girlfriend from Gauteng to Mpumalanga in the boot of his car.
Gauteng Community Safety MEC Faith Mazibuko said that law enforcement officers stopped the man at a roadblock and asked him to open the boot, whereupon they discovered a woman hiding inside.
In a video circulating on WhatsApp, police can be heard laughing at the discovery, as the embarrassed woman gets out of the boot and puts on her shoes.
A man can be heard saying: “Are you okay? Are you well here?”
The man, presumably a law enforcement officer, then mentions human trafficking, saying the driver must be arrested.
According to Mazibuko, both the man and the women were arrested, after she said she had consented to being “smuggled”.
In terms of the current lockdown regulations, movement between provinces, metros and district areas is banned and roadblocks on community, provincial and national roads are being conducted to enforce this.
At these roadblocks, particularly between provinces, health officials will screen people, and police will ensure movement is restricted.
A man was arrested at the N12 roadblock on Friday, 17 April, for attempting to smuggle his girlfriend out of GP to MP, without a permit.
Law enforcement asked the man to open the boot to search, they found a lady inside.
She was also arrested, she consented to be smuggled. pic.twitter.com/QuONdyDz0p— MEC Faith Mazibuko (@FaithMazibukoSA) April 19, 2020
Restrictions exclude essential services staff, such as healthcare workers, emergency services officials, service delivery personnel and police.
There will be no cross-border trips during the lockdown, with the exception of essential goods and cargo.
