A family in Capricorn is up in arms after their daughter, who runs a soup kitchen, was arrested for feeding hungry children without a permit.
The police busted Tauhiera John, 28, at around 10am on Tuesday while she was preparing food for the kids, who started lining up with bakkies in their hands.
Her family says cops acted unlawfully as the mom of four has a permit to cook food and hand it out during lockdown.
“She has a permit,” says her angry sister, Nabeelah John.
“She organised everything before starting the soup kitchen. The police should be arresting criminals, not people who are trying to feed hungry people.”
PROOF: ‘Permit issued’ to Tauhiera
Nabeelah says several cops in four vehicles rocked up at their home in Harmony Road and arrested her sister for violating lockdown regulations.
“They were angry, and the poor hungry children were frightened and crying outside.”
Nabeelah says Tauhiera, who is unemployed, realised that the lockdown was affecting many people in the Capricorn area and decided to start a soup kitchen to help ease people’s plight.
She acts on behalf of the local NGO, Where Rainbows Meet, which supplies her with soup ingredients and bread as well as an essential services certificate.
She started feeding around 50 children on Monday and everything was running smoothly until yesterday when she got arrested.
Tauhiera’s mother Shadullah is not taking the news well.
“I have a headache from thinking about my child who is in jail. I am not OK, what the police did is wrong, there is no justification for it at all.”
Nabeelah says her sister’s four young children are very worried about her.
“I’m feeling disappointed at the police. There are people walking up and down during the lockdown but nothing gets done, so why they took her I don’t understand.
“Her children are asking about her and we cannot explain why the police took her.
“The kids she was helping will go hungry now. Who will feed them?”
INITIATIVE: Tauhiera was arrested while preparing food for the hungry kids
She says they are reluctant to go to Muizenberg Police Station to ask about Tauhiera as they might also get arrested for being outside as lockdown rules prohibit leaving home unless it’s for essential services or food.
“We have no choice but to wait until the police release her,” says an upset Nabeelah.
Mymoena Scholtz, of Where Rainbows Meet, says they gave Tauhiera a permit and that she would contact SAPS.
Police spokesperson Sergeant Noloyiso Rwexana confirms Tauhiera and a 20-year-old male were arrested on charges “relating to the Disaster Regulations and hindering a police official in the execution of his duties.”
velani.ludidi@inl.co.za