Acting KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Commissioner Major General Phumelele Makoba said that law enforcement is ready to maintain peace and order during the planned truck protests and anti-foreigner marches.
Image: SAPS
KwaZulu-Natal police say they are fully prepared to respond to any violence or disruptions linked to planned protest action by truck drivers and ongoing anti-foreigner marches across the province this weekend.
Acting SAPS Provincial Commissioner Major General Phumelele Makoba said law enforcement agencies had intensified operational planning and intelligence monitoring amid threats of road blockades and possible unrest.
Speaking during a media briefing on Friday, Makoba confirmed that police were aware of a planned protest linked to the All Truck Drivers Forum (ATDF), although no formal notice had been submitted to authorities.
“From what we have gathered through our intelligence and public pronouncements by the organisers, the march is against the employment of illegal foreigners in the trucking industry,” Makoba said.
She said police were particularly concerned about threats relating to the blocking of major routes, including the N2 and N3.
“Our intelligence is working on that. Provincial joint structures, partnering with the business sector and our community policing forums, have developed a plan to respond to any eventualities,” she said.
Meanwhile on Friday, police said members had responded to the looting of shops owned by foreigners in Estcourt CBD. The police said six shops were looted.
“Calm has been restored in the area and injuries were reported. The looting is suspected to be a response to foreign nationals who took the mayor to court recently.”
Police said a meeting was planned with the mayor's office.
Speaking on truck protests, Makoba said police had learned lessons from previous truck-related incidents in KwaZulu-Natal which resulted in severe disruptions and damage to infrastructure.
“The province of KwaZulu-Natal has vivid images of the massive disruptions and damage to infrastructure that was caused by protest actions organised by ATDF,” she said.
She warned that while citizens have a constitutional right to protest, police would act decisively against any criminal behaviour.
“Any march that turns violent through blockages of roads, destruction of infrastructure, or any form of public violence will be dealt with by police,” Makoba said.
“Police are duty-bound to enforce the laws of this country.”
The acting commissioner also addressed ongoing marches across the province that have been linked to anti-foreigner sentiments.
Makoba urged communities not to take the law into their own hands by stopping people, conducting searches or demanding identity documents.
“By law, only police officers are empowered to search and demand any form of personal identification from any person, not just any civilian,” she said.
She reiterated that police continued conducting operations targeting undocumented immigrants and companies employing undocumented foreign nationals.
According to Makoba, 4,722 undocumented foreign nationals had been arrested in KwaZulu-Natal since January during joint operations involving police, the Department of Home Affairs and other agencies. In addition, 74 company managers were fined for violating labour laws.
“To be in South Africa without valid and proper documentation is a contravention of immigration laws, and that is a crime,” she said.
Makoba assured residents that police deployments would continue across the province to maintain stability and public safety.
“As things stand, police have been given assurances that planned marches will be peaceful demonstrations. However, as the law demands, police will deploy accordingly,” she said.
“To all the residents of KwaZulu-Natal, we say police are hard at work to maintain stability, peace and order through dialogue, engagement and decisive law enforcement with proportionate legal force.”
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