05 Jul 2020

 Botswana Police Service public relations officer, Assistant Commissioner Dipheko Motube has expressed concern over the failure to adhere to the mandatory use of a face mask in a public area.

He expressed the concern in an interview in Gaborone on July 3, saying some members of the community still failed to practice the COVID-19 safety measure.

He said in the week between June 22 to June 29, 167 people across the country were charged for failure to wear a face mask in a public area. 

He said charges ranged from P1 000 to P5 000 and that most offences were from the northern part of the country. He said some of the culprits paid off the fine while others were still pending.

Mr Motube noted that failure to use a face mask was often combined with other offences such as drinking alcohol beyond the stipulated time and in a prohibited area.

He said some behavioural manners that communities displayed were worrisome. “There is a tendency to disregard COVID-19 safety measures as people continue to congregate in large numbers at bars and fail to wear masks or maintain social distancing,” he said.

He said some only complied when they saw police officers while those travelling on buses also wear their masks when approaching roadblocks.

Assistant Commissioner Motube advised that COVID-19 was a serious threat that still existed among the public.

“When lockdown restrictions were eased, it never meant that the pandemic was no more. People should find ways to live with it and adhere to the stipulated preventative measures,” he said.

On other issues, Assistant Commissioner Motube highlighted that they were battling with illegal brewing of traditional beer and that of drinking in prohibited areas.

He said from 22 to 29 last month, they charged 105 people for the two offences, saying 30 were for illegal brewing of traditional beer while 75 were those who drank alcohol in prohibited areas.

On Thursday last week we took to the streets of Main Mall in Gaborone to get people’s views on how they cope with the use of face masks as the new normal.

Ms Abethalia Fohlani, 52, who sells traditional grains, said she was coping well with the use of the face mask.

She said as the country continued to fight the monster, it was imperative that people abide by the measure as it was difficult to predict who could be carrying the virus.

“We spend most of our time here and this is a busy area. People frequent it for shopping and other errands, maintaining social distancing is also a challenge,” she said, adding that wearing a face mask should be mandatory.

Twenty-four-year-old street vendor, Ms Boipelo Manche said for the first few weeks she was not coping with the face mask as she felt irritated, but she was now comfortable.

Her worry was some of the customers who frequented her stall without wearing a face mask.

 “Such kind of practice is not good and I always advise and encourage them to comply at all times,” she said.

Ms Godiraone Fox said she resorted to the use of a home-made mask. The 29 -year-old said she had realised that the use of mask could also prevent other respiratory diseases such as influenza and Tuberculosis among others.

Mr Gaoditlhong Motswanageng said with an increase of positive cases, wearing a mask was not an option.  Ends