Three people have been arrested for allegedly attempting to circumvent accreditation and access-control measures at the 46th Ordinary SADC Summit in Durban.
In a statement on Sunday, the National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure (NATJOINTS) said two Congolese nationals were arrested on Saturday after allegedly attempting to enter the summit venue using accreditation issued to another person.
The suspects were detected at an access-controlled point after their identities did not correspond with the accreditation they presented.
They face charges of fraud, impersonation and contravention of the Safety at Sports and Recreational Events Act 2 of 2010, relating to entering a designated area without authorisation.
“Their identities and the circumstances surrounding the attempted access remain subject to further investigation,” NATJOINTS said.
Earlier this week, a Zimbabwean national was also arrested after allegedly attempting to obtain accreditation under the guise of being a performing artist to gain access to the summit venue.
The Zimbabwean national faces a charge relating to being illegally in the Republic of South Africa.
NATJOINTS said the arrests bring to three the number of people arrested in connection with attempts to circumvent the summit's accreditation and access-control processes.
The structure has warned that the exchanging, lending, sharing, falsification or misuse of accreditation, as well as attempts to access the summit venue without proper authorisation, will not be tolerated.
“No person should attempt to test the security arrangements around the summit,” NATJOINTS said.
It added that comprehensive security measures were in place to detect and prevent attempts to compromise the safety and security of delegates, Heads of State, government officials, accredited participants and members of the public.
Meanwhile, NATJOINTS said it was aware of plans for marches and other public gatherings in and around Durban during the summit period, with security and law-enforcement plans in place to manage these activities.
“NATJOINTS respects the constitutional right to protest peacefully and lawfully. However, there will be no tolerance for criminality, violence, intimidation, threats, destruction of property, attempts to breach restricted areas or any deliberate effort to disrupt the proceedings of the summit,” NATJOINTS said.
Those participating in marches and gatherings have been urged to comply with the law and instructions issued by law-enforcement officers.
NATJOINTS said it would not allow legitimate gatherings to be exploited to undermine the safety, security and integrity of the summit.
“The message from NATJOINTS is clear: the 46th SADC Summit will proceed as planned. Security measures remain firmly in place, and anyone attempting to compromise the summit will face the full might of the law,” NATJOINTS said.
The structure has also called on all accredited persons to safeguard their accreditation and not share, exchange, lend or transfer it to another person.
“The security of the summit, its delegates and all participants remain the priority of NATJOINTS.” – SAnews.gov.za
