KZN police men have arrested 1,763 people for breaching the previous Level 3 lockdown regulations, officials said on Monday by police spokesperson.

Police spokesperson Brigadier Jay Naicker said co-ordinated multi-disciplinary operations were being conducted simultaneously across the province.

“They are focussing on hotspot areas and those areas where reports of non-compliance are received. Because of operations carried out from 16 June until 27 June 2021, 1 763 individuals were arrested for various contraventions of the Level 3 lockdown regulations in the province.”

He said police arrested 1 025 people in various public spaces for not wearing a mask.

During this period, 592 people were arrested to failing to confine to their residence during the curfew while 137 were arrested for selling or consuming liquor in a public space, in contravention of the regulations.

Provincial commissioner, Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi on Monday said he was worried about the high number of defaulters.

He expressed concern that many of the province’s citizens had been arrested daily “for not conforming” with regulations.

“Since the announcement of the Level 3 lockdown regulations, we have stepped up our daily operations focused on ensuring that all the citizens in the province comply with the regulations to stem the spread of the Covid-19 virus.

“In light of the president’s announcement last night [Sunday] that the country has moved to an adjusted alert Level 4 lockdown, we are once again urging citizens to comply with the regulations as law enforcement officers continue to work around the clock with all other government departments to protect communities from being exposed to the Covid-19 virus,” he said.

He said police were appealing to anyone with information regarding contraventions of the adjusted alert Level 4 lockdown regulations to please contact Crime Stop on 08600 10111 or report contraventions anonymously via the MySAPSApp.