Johannesburg – Police Minister Bheki Cele has confirmed that at least 57 people have been arrested in connection with the national shutdown ordered by the EFF.
Cele was speaking during a police management briefing led by the national Commissioner of the South African Police Service (SAPS), General Fannie Masemola, and Deputy Minister Cassel Mathale today.
This comes after reports of clashes between EFF members and police that are emerging from the Joburg CBD.
At least five students were arrested during a peaceful vigil in Braamfontein overnight. The students are said to have gathered in Braamfontein to protest before the national shutdown. Cele said Gauteng leads the number of arrests made.
“There have been issues of fires in certain townships in areas such as Tembisa and other areas. Up to this point, it does look like the situation is normal and people are going to work in areas like Soweto, Alexandra, and other places. There is one bus that was attacked, but people are going to work, but in Richards Bay they burnt a forest. We want to assure people that things are under control,” Cele said.
Cele said the police team has put measures in place to ensure the safety of South Africa.
“We are integrated. We have SANDF members and private security, and we are in touch with communities, especially in areas such as KwaMashu and Umlazi, Soweto, and Alexandra.
“We hope that those who will be marching will do so peacefully; we will have no reason to interfere with them, but when they begin to burn tyres that we have collected up to this point, which is 24 300 in different places, Eastern Cape leads with 10 000 tyres. Those tyres were collected from strategic areas that have been placed under the bridges and at the corners,” Cele said.
The Star