According to the statement, over 2,300 complaints had been registered since the beginning of the lockdown on Mauntil March 31, 2020, and from these, 148 suspects were charged. Police Minister Bheki Cele in a statement on April 5, noted the high level of complaints of gender-based violence. The national lockdown will be most effective if carried out, not only in accordance with the law, but also hand-in-hand with the fulfillment of the government’s obligation to provide basic goods and services such as food, water, and health services to vulnerable community members. During the lockdown, the authorities should also ensure access to essential medication and support services for older people, people with disabilities and tuberculosis, and South Africa’s 7.7 million people living with HIV. Special arrangements should be made to protect the rights of vulnerable groups, including refugees, asylum seekers, and the homeless, who may not normally have access to basic goods, including food, water – potable and washing – and health care. The authorities should ensure the provision of these essential goods and services to everyone without discrimination, Human Rights Watch said. In a positive step, on March, 17, the human settlements, water, and sanitation minister, Lindiwe Sisulu, announced that her department would increase the provision of water and sanitation measures in high-density public areas, informal settlements, and rural areas. The government of South Africa should immediately reverse this discriminatory move. Police reportedly responded by shutting down immigrant-owned shops in low-income townships. The minister of defense and military veterans, Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, condemned abuses against civilians by soldiers deployed to enforce the lockdown regulations, and instructed the army chief to monitor the situation and to “deal with those members proven to have used excessive or unnecessary force against the citizens.”ĭuring a media briefing, the small business and development minister, Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, said that only small businesses owned and run by South Africans would benefit from a government relief package to cushion the effect of the lockdown. The statement also noted that children ages 5, 6, and 11 were injured during the incident. The commission commended the Independent Police Investigative Directorate for its prompt investigation, including the arrests of the policeman and security guard for murder and attempted murder. The South African Human Rights Commission confirmed in a statement that a Ekurhuleni Metro Police official and a security guard fatally shot Sibusiso Amos in front of his home in Vosloorus near Johannesburg on March 29. Local media and social media are reporting abuses by the army and the police, including shootings, beatings, teargassing, and water bombing people suspected of violating the lockdown. The police should engage with the public to gain their trust and enhance their protection, not to further undermine their safety, Human Rights Watch said. “The government should remind security forces that a public emergency does not change the prohibition on police abuse, and that monitoring will be in place to detect and punish such abuse, as well as abuses against women and girls.” “Abusive implementation should not undermine the robust and essential intervention by President Ramaphosa’s administration to protect public health and safety,” said Dewa Mavhinga, southern Africa director at Human Rights Watch. Within the first seven days, security forces arrested more than 2,000 people for allegedly flouting the regulations, and domestic violence has skyrocketed. The authorities deployed 24,389 security forces, including the army and police, to enforce regulations prohibiting people from leaving their homes except for essential purposes. With 1,655 confirmed cases as of April 6, 2020, the highest so far in Africa, the authorities have taken steps to limit and prevent the spread of COVID-19, including the 21-day nationwide lockdown declared by President Cyril Ramaphosa on March 23. (Johannesburg) – The South African government’s response to the unprecedented global health challenge of COVID-19 should fully respect the rights and dignity of everyone in the country. Soldaten im Township Alexandra, Südafrika, wo sie eine 21-tägige Ausgangssperre gegen Covid-19 durchsetzen sollen, 28.
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