Africa-Press – Lesotho. As the Easter holidays are fast approaching, the traffic volumes are expected to rise and the possible influx of the migrants from South Africa are expected to make their way to their communities for the holidays.
In preparation for these, the police said they are ready to protect citizens and ensure the compliance with the Covid-19 health measures in place as stipulated in the country’s COVID-19 Public Health gazette.
Maseru urban District Police Commissioner (DISPOL) Senior Superintendent Litsietsi Selimo said there will be visible police presence to ensure compliance with the Coronavirus regulations while also protecting lives
and property. He further said the police will be deployed at the borders and patrol the places near the rivers, adding that they have recently rescued
many drowning victims and said they will be vigilant in guarding against such instances. The Maseru urban DISPOL also mentioned that they will be in the lookout for the smugglers at the irregular points of entry.
This move he said will safe people’s lives as the rivers have been filled following the recent rains and to ensure that after crossing into the country, people do not go to
their communities without being screened so as not to challenge the surveillance efforts by the health officials. Senior Superintendent Selimo said they will mount many road
blocks to ensure compliance on the part of taxis and the drivers. He also took swipe on the ‘pirate’ cars which operate illegally, saying they are risk to the
lives as they pick up the passengers at undesignated spots and are often overloaded. He said the police will screen the taxis for their roadworthiness and ensure that they are ferrying the licenced number of
passengers’. The police will also be posted around the Auto Teller Machines (ATMs) vicinities. Selimo mentioned that they will mount the mobile police
posts in order to respond quickly to the problems. He added the police presence will also be noticeable at the shops to ensure that there is no overcrowding in
order to curb the spread of the Covid-19 as the crowded places are said to be the bane for surge of infections. Asked what measures are in place to deter the police
brutality incidents as reported in the past where police were accused of heavy handed tactics, he said for each group of police there will be two or three
leaders to ensure that the police conform to the expected policing standards. Meanwhile, the Prime Minister Dr. Moeketsi Majoro has told the migrants to stay put and not come for the holidays.
He argued that the move was meant to ‘protect’ them and their communities from the Covid-19 possible infections, adding that the country was then in the process of acquiring the
vaccines which will inoculate them once they arrive. The National COVID-19 Secretariat (NACOSEC) has underscored the need for enforcement and observance of the health protocols aimed to halt the spread of the virus.
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