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Arguments have been breaking out on social media about dog walking.

It’s only day five and folks are already looking for loopholes, like whether or not you can walk your dog to the shops.

Let’s break this down logically. If the police encounter you out with your pup, their first thought is not going to be that you’re off to the shop. Instead, they’re going to assume that you’re lying about going to the shop so that you can walk your dog.

In short, according to the clearly stipulated rules, you cannot walk your dog, and if you do, you may have to face some unpleasant consequences.

The whole country has been warned that anyone who contravenes the lockdown regulations by not adhering to the restrictions on movement and closures will be guilty of an offence and, on conviction, liable to a fine or to imprisonment for a period of six months.

As we head further into the 21 days of physical distancing, more information has come to light regarding how specific regions are enforcing these rules.

In Gauteng, reports TimesLIVE, you could be looking at a fine of up to R5 000, and that’s just for your first offence.

The full list of charges and fines in Gauteng (excluding Pretoria) are as follows:

• publishing any statement to deceive any other person about measures taken by the government to address Covid-19 – R5 000;
• failing to confine yourself to your place of residence – R 1 500;
• gathering illegally – R5 000;
• failing to comply with the prohibition of movement between provinces – R2 000; and
• failing to comply with the prohibition of movement between metropolitan and district areas – R2 500.

Jogging and dog walking would fall into the “failing to confine yourself to your place of residence” section, so that’s a cool R1 500 fine.

These are also first offence fines, following which you could be thrown in jail upon conviction.

Lawmakers in the North West appear to be following suit, with plans to roll out a set of fines and penalties similar to those in Gauteng.

According to The South African, this is what punishments for contravening the law look like in Potchefstroom:

Fines of R5 000

• Convening of a mass gathering.
• Opening a liquor licensed premises and giving access to 50 people or more.
• Hindering or interfering with any SAPS or SANDF member as they try to carry out their duties.
• Lying about having coronavirus, or falsely telling someone they have it.
• Continuing to operate as a business without permission or selling prohibited goods.

Fines of R2 000 or below

• Failing to present permit which allows businesses to continue trading.
• Failing to confine yourself to your residence without good reason.
• Being part of any illegal gathering, such as a planned worship or protest action.
• Moving between metropolitan areas.

You can be criminally charged if you’re caught out of your home without a good reason for the third time; arrange an illegal gathering for the second time; are caught moving between metropolitan areas more than once, or continue to sell illegal goods after a previous fine.

Again, those fines above apply only to the areas in question, and not the entire country.

Meanwhile, in the Western Cape, the City of Cape Town has urged government to refine the lockdown regulations.

While this hasn’t manifested in guidelines for fines or jail time yet, we could be looking at reduced shopping hours. SowetanLIVE explains:

Shopping hours should be reduced to between 9am to 1pm daily to help police enforce coronavirus lockdown.

Any person found on the street may plausibly claim to be out for the purposes of shopping for food, said JP Smith, the city’s mayoral committee member for safety and security.

If shopping times are reduced, Smith believes that it will help the police and military to determine whether or not someone is lawfully on the streets.

Finally, more from TimesLIVE about what will happen if you get arrested for violating the rules.

Everyone arrested during the coronavirus outbreak in SA will be screened for Covid-19 before they are placed in a police holding cell.

Police have confirmed that those who test positive will be taken to a medical facility and be quarantined until they are clear of any symptoms.

More about that, here.

If you need more motivation to stay indoors, note that all lockdown convictions will result in a criminal record.

Think about that next time you have the urge to go for a jog.

[sources:timeslive&southafrican&sowetanlive]