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Police minister Bheki Cele says to date 298 000 people were arrested for lockdown violations.
He released the quarterly crime statistics for April to June on Friday.
Cele said that 28 337 people were found guilty of liquor, gathering, transport, business and cross border related offences, while 181 579 were released on a warning to appear before a court.
Cele said it was unfortunate that most of the people arrested will now have criminal records as it was not the aim of SAPS to criminalize South Africans.
He said it is for this reason that the Minister of Justice and Correctional Services, Ronald Lamola, is looking into the issue.
