The national lockdown began at midnight on Thursday, but for many, it might as well have been the start of a 21-day holiday.
While the city centre and highways resembled a ghost town, it was business as usual for mense on the Cape Flats with mense out and about in the streets, driving and shopping - ignoring President Cyril Ramaphosa’s instructions that the nation stay indoors.
On Sunday, Police Minister Bheki Cele said over 200 arrests were made in the Western Cape.
ESCORT: Ou busted for defying the lockdown
The Daily Voice took to the streets over the weekend and found that mense in communities like Mitchells Plain, Delft, Pelikan Park, Lavender Hill and Capricorn and Bonteheuwel are min gespin.
In Capricorn, Pelikan Park and Overcome Heights, children played on street corners while the adults drank their beers and smoked their entjies.
Taxis operated with full loads, ignoring social distancing.
Mense ignore calls to stay home. Video: Genevieve Serra
In Hanover Park, SANDF soldiers were spotted escorting men to their homes and stopped vehicles, asking for proof of permits.
In Capricorn, a lone police van patrolled the busy streets, telling people to go inside.
One man could be heard shouting back: “ Ons is nie prisoners nie.”
One resident said they were happy to see police: “This will do good because people need to take it seriously, this is not a joke, this is our lives.”
MASKED: Residents inspecting the streets
In Strandfontein on Friday, police set up a roadblock and stopped people along Spine Road, asking motorists why they were on the road.
In Mitchells Plain, mense went about their shopping at Westgate Mall and the Liberty Promenade as per normal.
Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security JP Smith warned the lockdown is no joke, and Law Enforcement will be cracking down over the coming days.
Business as usual in Lavender Hill. Video: Genevieve Serra
“We will be intensifying operations... it is about getting people to understand today the severity of this. We will be across the city.”
He added: “All of our staff are on the streets along with the army and police. We are checking vehicles and making sure that people are going just for the essentials.”
