After giving conflicting statements on exemption letters under Covid-19 lockdown Level Two guidelines announced by President Emmerson Mnangagwa on Friday, government spokesperson Ndavaningi Nick Mangwana has attempted to clarify the new official position.
In an interview with Sunday News, Mangwana said the exemption letters were not part of the law but police may ask for them for administrative purposes. Said Mangwana:
The exemption letters were not part of the law as such but what will prevail is that the police will ask people just to produce proof of where they are going.
For example, when people are going to a funeral, the police may ask for the proof, which is for administrative purposes but the policy will then be the number of people meant to attend a funeral.
The police may ask people to prove that they work under the category of industry and commerce. People can then produce these exemption letters, in some cases, this can take the form of company identification documents.
Meanwhile, the Deputy Minister for Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services, Energy Mutodi has said members of the public who will venture into the Central Business District, shops or public places without masks will be arrested. He tweeted:
With effect from tomorrow Monday 4 May, police will arrest anyone seen without putting on a mask in the CBD, entering shops or any public places.