Cape Town - Law enforcement agencies in the province are on high alert today as thousands of members affiliated to the EFF are expected to join the national “shutdown” calling for an end to load shedding and the resignation of President Cyril Ramaphosa.
“Adequate” law enforcement officers, police, private security officials, metro police and SANDF members have been deployed in strategic places and hot spots throughout the province to respond to any acts of violence that might ensue as a result of the protest.
Addressing the media on Sunday on the provincial state of readiness, provincial police commissioner Thembisile Patekile said as part of the provincial joint operational and intelligence structure operational plan, police would be on foot, horseback, in vehicles and on motorcycles with air support at strategic positions to respond promptly and accordingly to incidents of lawlessness.
Patekile said deployments would be enhanced utilising the integrated CCTV camera systems as well as other cutting-edge technology.
He could not be drawn on the number of officers deployed or identified hot spots, citing security reasons, but confirmed that these officers were adequate.
He said some of these officials would be deployed at the airport, the Legislature and Parliament, adding that the entire province was a hot spot.
Patekile also warned social media users against posting and disseminating inflammatory content contained in videos and messages seeking to incite violence and spread falsehoods.
He said law enforcement officials would without hesitation invoke relevant pieces of legislation in relation to inappropriate social media posts.
With more than 4000 tyres that had been confiscated at key points and intersections by law enforcement officers in the past three days, which could have been used to barricade roads, Police Oversight and Community
Safety MEC Reagen Allen said it was well documented that threats of violence and potential looting were made. Allen said he was satisfied and trusted that they would be able to keep the province safe.
As a result of these “threats of violence” the City and the Premier secured an interdict in the high court against the EFF, preventing the party and its members from engaging in or trying to incite others to perform any act of violence, damage to property, any form of intimidation or threat, or the attempt to disrupt any school, business, transport provider, either before, during or after their intended shutdown protest.
Premier Winde said the EFF applied for permission to march from the inner city to Parliament. Winde said everyone in the country had the right to have their voices heard and the right to protest within the parameters of the law.
He however said the interdict was sought following social media posts threatening intimidation and shutting down of roads and closure of businesses for fear of being looted.
He said the interdict was to ensure that the law-abiding citizens in the province were protected, and able to go to work to open their businesses.
“If we want to fight for economic freedom, we must keep the economy open and allow jobs to be created. Closing down the economy and taking jobs away does not make any sense to me,” Winde said.
Provincial CPF Board chairperson Franscina Lukas said CPFs and NHWs would be deployed in their areas to ensure no destruction of property and infrastructure. Lukas also encouraged their members not to confront or try to stop any protest, but to observe and report.
EFF president Julius Malema, however, denied any threats of violence but said the party made businesses aware of the protest to avoid potential looting.
Malema said because businesses would be open on the day, people would take advantage of the shops and engage in illegal activities.
The party called on all protesters to be careful of “agent provocateurs” whom it said would try and hijack or undermine the protest action by engaging in violence.
It said the protest action must be militant and radical yet peaceful and maintained that the protest be “vigorous” within the confines of the law.