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Nqobile Tshili, Chronicle Reporter
POLICE have said employers of essential services should ensure their workers have exemption letters which they produce at checkpoints to avoid inconveniences.

The Government on Saturday imposed stricter lockdown regulations as part of measures to curb the spread of Covid-19 infections.

Most of the new regulations come into effect tomorrow and for the next 30 days only workers providing esential services are allowed to report for work.

Members of the public are expected to stay at home and only move out when they are going to buy medicines and groceries.

National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi yesterday said police are ready to enforce the tightened lockdown regulations.

He said finer details on implementation of the strict lockdown measures will be announced today but employers should also play their part to ensure critical services employees are not prevented from reporting for duty.

“Remember last time on issues to do with essential services, companies were supposed to issue exemption letters and these letters were verified at checkpoints. If what is said by the Government is taken into consideration, officers on checkpoints will have to verify if one is an essential service worker or not.

It means companies or institutions that fall under essential services must also assist by providing the letters so that their workers can produce them at checkpoints to avoid inconveniences,” said Asst Comm Nyathi.

He warned members of the public against bribing their way at roadblocks.

“I want to warn them that they will be arrested if they try to bribe their way when they are not in the essential service sectors,” he said.

Asst Comm Nyathi said police will implement lockdown measures without fear or favour as this is in the public interest.

“People should just stick to what has been said by the Government. There is no compromise, there is no going back on what has been said by the Government.

“What it entails is that only those providing essential services will be reporting for work and the rest should stay at home and only travel when it’s really necessary,” said Asst Comm Nyathi.

He said police have already started enforcing the new regulations which came into effect on Saturday night soon afer announcement by Government

“The country has been on lockdown since March and police have been arresting people for flouting the regulations. If you check arrests for flouting regulations have been ongoing.

“On New Year’s Day we arrested more than 2 300 people and on Saturday we arrested more than 2 000. The arrests will continue as long as people are not complying with the regulations.”-@nqotshili