Pretoria - Police will ultimately be "nasty and nice" when dealing with public protests, says Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa.
Speaking at the Defence Web Public Order Policing Conference in Midrand on Tuesday, Mthethwa said the prevailing situation on the ground would dictate what needed to be done and the approach police would choose.
"If public protests are conducted peacefully, expect the utmost sensitivity and for police to be nice... If protestors are violent, you want police to be tough in that situation," he said.
The minister said police walked a "tight rope" during public protests. He pointed out that while the public expected police to protect them and their property in such situations, others wanted to be allowed to enjoy the political dispensation by protesting.
In some instances, a tough approach was warranted because police were not dealing with "angels on the street."
In a recent protest in KwaZulu-Natal, protestors were carrying AK47s, the minister said.
However, police should not use excessive force, Mthethwa added.
"We have to use what you need to use as the situation dictates. There is no need to use strong arm tactics when you can use water cannons if the situation allows that," he said.
Mthethwa stressed that organisers of protests would have to take responsibility for what happened during the protests.
It was up to the organiser to ensure that criminal elements did not take advantage of the situation, he said.
The minister also noted the need for training in public order policing, saying it was a specialised area that required specialised training and constant evaluation.
In August, Mthethwa approved a policy aimed at ensuring police manage public protests better.
The policy provides a framework and guidelines for SAPS in policing public protests and introduces stringent measures when it comes to use of force during public gatherings and protests.
As part of the recommendations, the policy calls for the establishment of a dedicated National Public Order Policing Unit within SAPS.
This unit was established in 1996 but was part of SAPS' restructuring process in recent years.
The minister said he was confident that in future, public protests would achieve their goal, which was ensuring that citizens express themselves without provocations between police and citizens.
