South Africans have exercised their constitutional rights peacefully and responsibly, with the overwhelming majority doing so within the confines of the law, says National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure (NATJOINTS) Chairperson, Lieutenant General Tebello Mosikili.
Addressing the media in Pretoria on Wednesday, Mosikili commended the leadership of the various march organisers for working closely with law enforcement, encouraging supporters to remain peaceful, and ensuring that demonstrators adhered to the Constitution and obeyed the laws of the country.
“On behalf of the National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure, we wish to extend our sincere appreciation to the leadership of the various march organisers.
“Your leadership contributed significantly to maintaining public order and ensuring that South Africans were able to exercise their democratic rights safely. We also thank every South African who heeded the call to demonstrate peacefully and responsibly.”
Mosikili said law enforcement officers worked tirelessly throughout the night to ensure that peace, safety and stability prevailed across the country.
She noted that while opportunistic criminal elements attempted to exploit the situation, they were identified and dealt with swiftly and decisively.
“And indeed, while there were opportunistic criminal elements that sought to exploit the situation, they were identified and dealt with swiftly and decisively by law enforcement.
“Their actions did not undermine the overall stability of the country, and our operational readiness ensured that law and order were maintained throughout.
“Law enforcement agencies acted swiftly to stabilise the affected areas, restore order and prevent any further disruption. The situation remains under control, and the areas remain under constant monitoring,” she said.
Mosikili said police confirmed that a total of 120 marches took place nationwide as of this morning.
Of these, 108 marches were peaceful, while only 12 required law enforcement intervention due to incidents of unrest.
The provincial breakdown is as follows:
- Free State (FS): Peaceful – 8 | Unrest – 0
- Eastern Cape (EC): Peaceful – 28 | Unrest – 2
- Gauteng (GP): Peaceful – 12 | Unrest – 1
- KwaZulu-Natal (KZN): Peaceful – 21 | Unrest – 2
- Limpopo (LP): Peaceful – 12 | Unrest – 0
- Mpumalanga (MP): Peaceful – 9 | Unrest – 1
- Northern Cape (NC): Peaceful – 4 | Unrest – 2
- North West (NW): Peaceful – 8 | Unrest – 0
- Western Cape (WC): Peaceful – 6 | Unrest – 4
Mosikili said the peaceful marches were a clear demonstration that the overwhelming majority of South Africans chose peace over disorder.
“While the vast majority of demonstrations remained peaceful, there were individuals who sought to exploit yesterday’s events to commit criminal acts. Unfortunately for them, they quickly discovered that law enforcement was on their heels and ready to act decisively.
“Our members responded swiftly wherever incidents of looting, robbery, public violence and other criminal activities emerged,” she said.
More than 900 people were arrested during yesterday’s operations.
“The majority of those arrested were illegal foreigners and individuals involved in looting, as a result of law enforcement operations conducted alongside the protests. Some were arrested for public violence, some for harbouring illegal immigrants, and others for business robbery at spaza shops,” she said.
Mosikili also praised law enforcement agencies for their professionalism, discipline and unwavering commitment to protecting the people of South Africa.
“You stood firm under challenging circumstances, enforced the law without fear or favour, and ensured that constitutional rights were protected while criminality was dealt with decisively. Your dedication has once again demonstrated the strength of coordinated law enforcement.
“Our operations remain active. Law enforcement will continue to monitor developments in the days ahead. We remain vigilant, we remain prepared, and we will continue to act decisively against anyone who threatens the safety, security and stability of our country.
“We are also intensifying our operations to ensure that all persons who are in the country are in possession of valid documentation and are compliant with the laws of the Republic,” she said. – SAnews.gov.za
