Cape Town - Police remained mum on details of their operational plan for the State of the Nation Address after a large contingent of officers locked down Cape Town’s city centre this week.
Last year close to 200 officers policed the streets and parliamentary precinct during the opening of Parliament.
Photo: ANA
But this year there was a visible increase in policing and the number of soldiers lining the roads more than doubled, angering opposition parties.
President Zuma disclosed earlier that he wanted more soldiers for the SONA, with the number doubling from three years ago. He said the deployment of the 441 soldiers to Parliament over five days would cost R204 000.
Photo: Ian Landsberg
The deployment of security forces is at the heart of the fight between the ANC and the opposition parties.
On Friday DA leader Mmusi Maimane said his party was challenging the deployment of the army to the precinct of Parliament and its surrounds.
National police spokesperson Vishnu Naidoo refused to say how many officers were involved in securing the SONA and the costs involved.
“We don’t give numbers for security reasons. We have never done it,” he said.
Picture: ANA
Police Minister Nathi Nhleko refused to provide details to MPs ahead of the SONA. He said they were prepared for anything, and had deployed sufficient numbers of police.
Opposition parties complained about the stringent security measures in Parliament during the SONA.