Lamola: Wear your mask or face criminal record
Government is considering imposing criminal action on those defying its mask regulation, as it is now mandatory to wear one.
Justice Minister Ronald Lamola has been briefing the media this afternoon at the National Coronavirus Command Council, following President Cyril Rapahosa's address to the nation last night.
Lamola was unpacking his department's COVID-19 regulations.
He said the onus is on employers, managers, and compliance officers to ensure that masks are worn when entering their business, public transport or place of worship.
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Lamola said defaulters could be fined or imprisoned for at least six months or face both.
"It does not differentiate between a fine and imprisonment, both of them do give you some kind of criminal offence and its something we are dealing with but at this stage, that is what it is and that is the law," he said.
Lomola added, the obligation and the duty as put on the store managers and owners.
"And those that are responsible for various places where members of the public can congregate or find themselves in. If we don't see any improvement in terms of the behaviour, we will impose the issue of criminality for individual's duty and obligation to wear a mask."
