South African newlyweds arrested for breaching lockdown order

A joyful celebration of love between a pair of newlyweds in South Africa took a twist on Sunday when the police showed up to arrest the couple for contravening the lockdown regulations.

South African police and defence force got a tip-off about the wedding in KwaZulu-Natal happening despite a nationwide ban on public gatherings due to the coronavirus pandemic, South Africa Times reported.

All 50 wedding guests, the pastor who conducted the ceremony, and the newlyweds themselves were promptly arrested and taken to a police station outside Richards Bay.

They are to be charged in court.

A widely circulated video on Twitter shows the moment the besuited groom helps his wife into the back of a police van in her white wedding dress, complete with train and veil:

Twitter post by @IamMzilikazi said:

“A couple arrested on their wedding day at Nseleni in KwaZulu-Natal for violating the lockdown rules and regulations as they decided not to postpone their big day.”

The uMhlathuze municipality said the newlyweds would be “spending their honeymoon under stringent bail conditions.”

Ruthless response

South Africa is the epicentre of the pandemic in Africa.

It has 1,655 confirmed cases of coronavirus, including 11 deaths.

Last week, South Africa’s President, announced a 21-day lockdown of the country to flatten the spreading curve of the pandemic—a move, many have named as one of the strictest lockdowns in history.

In defence, some say South Africa’s response to the pandemic has been ruthlessly efficient.

The country imposed movement restriction with only essential movement permitted.

It also has seen mobile testing units as well as drive-through testing centres being rolled out.