The Gauteng provincial government instructed its portfolio committee on community safety to monitor the enforcement of lockdown regulations.
The committee said that it would implement unannounced and announced oversight visits to operations carried out by police and the South African National Defence Force to ensure everyone complies with lockdown regulations in the province.
The committee’s Mapiti Matsena said the decision comes after some communities had started to undermine the strict Level 4 regulations and mounting reports of abuse of power by authorities.
Matsena said that these ranged from allegations of excessive use of force, assault, murder and bribery.
“We know that we are playing an oversight role, but this time we want to be part of some of their operations, it is very important for us to be in the area where the police do the work so that we can be in a position to say what is the situation on the ground.”
The committee will monitor law enforcement officials at roadblocks, raids and general compliance operations.