Bride, Groom & 50 Guests Arrested For Wedding During South Africa’s Lockdown
on Apr 08, 2020
According to several news sources in South Africa – and the local municipality, a bride and her groom have been arrested for violating the social distancing and lockdown order imposed by the government.
https://www.facebook.com/officialCityofumhlathuze01/photos/rpp.1506288039609076/2535229210048282/?type=3&theater
Throughout the world, a majority of households are under some form of lockdown order due to the current Novel Coronavirus, COVID-19, pandemic.
Because of how the virus transmits very quickly between individuals in close contact, most of the nations under lockdown have imposed strict social distancing orders.
#CityOfuMhlathuze More than 50 people arrested in a wedding at Nseleni outside Richards Bay today for contravening the #COVID2019 #lockdown regulations @ZOPublications @GCIS_KZN @ecr9495 @ukhozi_fm @eNCA @SAPoliceService @Sandford_Police @SALGA_Gov l pic.twitter.com/NaMagUWpUg
— uMhlathuze (@UmhlathuzeM) April 5, 2020
According to a BBC report, the local authorities in uMhlathuze Municipality got tipped off about the wedding taking place in KwaZulu-Natal on Sunday, April 5th, 2020.
The municipality reports that 50 people were arrested and booked at a local police station. That was just the wedding guests. Also arrested were the bride, groom, and pastor who conducted the ceremony.
The entire group was scheduled to be formally charged on Monday, April 6th, 2020. No updates have been given as to what happened during that court appearance.
The story has been circulated widely on social media with even the local municipality sharing images of the arrest and warning others about violating the social distancing guidelines.
South Africa has imposed some of the strictest lockdown measures imposed by any country which includes a ban on buying alcohol and cigarettes with only the most-essential movement allowed.
The BBC report says “South Africa’s response to the pandemic has been ruthlessly efficient.”
Watch a full news report from South African broadcasting network eNCA below along with a viral video of the bride being loaded into a police vehicle.
A couple arrested on their wedding day at Nseleni in KwaZulu-Natal for violating the lockdown rules and regulations as they decided not to postpone their big day 1 pic.twitter.com/lyWCpaTUT0
— Mzilikazi wa Afrika (@IamMzilikazi) April 5, 2020
