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Nelson Mandela Bay Metro police vowed to crack down on anti-social behaviour following chaotic scenes on the city’s beachfront on Saturday night.
Metro police chief Yolanda Faro told Algoa FM News that two arrests were made for the robbery of a cell phone.
Videos posted on social media showed large groups of youths, many intoxicated, gathered at the garage in Summerstrand.
There were unconfirmed reports that cars were pelted with objects and police later confirmed that the body of a vagrant was found and that a post-mortem will determine the cause of death.
Faro meanwhile called on parents to take responsibility for the actions of their children.
“We are still in lockdown. People should act responsibility with Easter weekend approaching,” Faro said.
She said Nelson Mandela Bay Metro police would be cracking down on anti-social behaviour in the lead-up to and during the Easter long weekend.
Meanwhile, police said that large crowds of youth aged between 13 and 19 converged on the beachfront in groups “allegedly taking the annual Skhothane Show which is normally held in the township to the beachfront.”
“Once police were alerted to the large gathering of youth SAPS Humewood, Metro police and Public Order Policing responded and broke up the bash,” said spokesperson, Captain Sandra Janse van Rensburg.
She said the police addressed the youths, who arrived in taxis, and warned them of the lockdown restrictions and non-compliance with the Disaster Management Act before “they dispersed.”
Police said no cases of malicious damage to property has been opened however police are investigating a case of robbery which allegedly occurred in Beach Road outside a café.
Janse van Rensburg said an inquest docket was opened in connection with the death of a man whose body was found in La Roche Drive.
No visible injuries were observed, and the cause of death will only be determined once a post-mortem is done.
Janse Van Rensburg said it was “unfortunate that the parents of the children allowed them to come out in such numbers seeing that we are still in a lockdown and that large gatherings are still not allowed while wearing of masks is still compulsory when in public.”
She said no arrests were made in terms of the Disaster Management Act.
Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality said it was "alarmed at the level of civil disobedience displayed at the garage in Marine Drive on Saturday, especially since medical experts warned of a possible third wave, with potentially devastating consequences during April and May."
"This means that potential super-spreader events must be avoided at all costs in the interest of the well-being of our residents. The brazen disregard for COVID-19 regulations was very irresponsible as this is not the time to let our guard down," said spokesperson, Kupido Baron.
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