LOOK: Dundee bottle store owner nabbed for allegedly operating during lockdown

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Durban- A defiant Dundee liquor outlet owner who was busted for allegedly selling liquor during the national lockdown has had his stock confiscated. The Tayside Bottle store was placed under indefinite lockdown. According to EDTEA spokesperson Nathi Oliphant, the store's CCTV footage devices, cash register and point of sale equipment was seized during the raid. "Acting on a tip off by a member of the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature, KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs, Nomusa Dube-Ncube, accompanied by members of both the KZN Liquor Authority and SA Police Service visited the store today (April 5) and found it open." Prior to today's raid the MPL has already opened a case with the local police but had found little joy with the enforcement which prompted him to engage the services of EDTEA.

The confiscated stock.

Pictures: Supplied

" Evidence of transgression had been brought before the local police and the KZN Liquor Authority.

" The non-co-operative outlet owner and his sons denied any wrong doing despite compelling evidence resulting in his CCTV, cash register and point of sale equipment being seized when he could not demonstrate when the last transaction had taken place.

MEC Dube-Ncube said: “This is shocking that business owners can blatantly disregard the laws and lockdown regulations.

“We are investigating the allegations that this place has been selling liquor during this time. We are here with the police and the Liquor Authority to establish the veracity of these serious allegations,” she said.

KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs, Nomusa Dube-Ncube has been clamping down on businesses.

Picture: Supplied

Dube-Ncube also visited Spar and Pick n Pay to check reports of price gouging. She was not satisfied by the exorbitant amount of essential food items on the shelves. She was also not happy that one big retailer, Spar, kept damage cans of beans and tin fish on the shelves saying this was a huge health hazard and ordered the removal of such items.

“It’s shocking. We want to say to all the South African citizens and the KZN residents that we are going to make sure that the law enforcement is going to take its course to those that do not adhere to the regulations as prescribed by the President [Cyril Ramaphosa]. The president is serious about protecting our citizens against the coronavirus,” she said.

Dube-Ncube said her Department will continue to ensure that enforcement during the lockdown is heightened and that there will be no sacred cows.

“We will go after everyone who breaks the law regardless of who they are and what their standing in society is. There are no sacred cows. I wish to applaud our entity, local Endumeni mayor and the police their swift reaction to this.

"Working together we will flatten the curve and defeat the coronavirus,” she said.

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