A bride, a groom and their wedding guests were arrested in South Africa for violating lockdown rules and attending the wedding party. According to Daily Mail, Jabulani Zulu, 48, and his bride Nomthandazo Mkhize, 38, married on Sunday in a ceremony that was interrupted by police storming in with guns. Photos and videos being circulated on social media show the couple climbing into a police vehicle after being arrested.
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South Africa is in the second week of a strict lockdown to contain the spread of the highly infectious coronavirus. BBC reports that police received a tip that the wedding in KwaZulu-Natal was taking place despite a ban on public gatherings and arrived at the venue shortly after the couple said “I do”.
The bride, groom, their priest and 50 wedding guests were all arrested and taken to a police station outside Richards Bay.
#CityOfuMhlathuze More than 50 people arrested in a wedding at Nseleni outside Richards Bay today for contravening the #COVID2019 #lockdown regulations @ZOPublications @GCIS_KZN @ecr9495 @ukhozi_fm @eNCA @SAPoliceService @Sandford_Police @SALGA_Gov l pic.twitter.com/NaMagUWpUg
— uMhlathuze (@UmhlathuzeM) April 5, 2020
The group was released on posting a bail of R1,000 each (approximately Rs 4,100).
“For now I don’t think they can have any reasonable explanation to be continuing with that wedding,” said police spokesman Vish Naidoo according to Daily Mail. “We will be interviewing each one individually and the charges will be put to them.”
South Africa has reported more than 1,700 coronavirus cases. The country will continue to be in lockdown till April 16.