Soldier ‘shoots’ man for not wearing face mask

A South African soldier went to the extreme in the enforcement of the country’s COVID-19 regulations when he allegedly shot a man for not wearing face mask.

The Sowetan reported that the military man allegedly shot the man when the two were engaged in an argument over why the man was not wearing a face mask in line with Covid-19 regulations.

The incident happened on Thursday at a shopping complex in Mogwadi, Limpopo, the country’s North-Eastern province, police spokesperson, Brig Motlafela Mojapelo. 

“Members of the national defence force were reportedly on duty monitoring Covid-19 compliance in the area when they approached a group of people who were not wearing face masks,” Mojapelo said on Friday.

“When asked why they were not wearing masks, an argument allegedly ensued and one of the soldiers shot the victim. The injured 27-year-old man was rushed to hospital.

“The soldier, aged 29, was arrested and charged with attempted murder,” said Mojapelo.

The soldier is due to appear in the Morebeng magistrate’s court on Friday.

South Africa has recorded more than 656,000 cases with 15,772 deaths ever since the country reported its first case on March 5.

The patient, a 38-year-old man, was part of a group of 10 people, including the man’s wife, that returned on March 1 to South Africa from Italy.