Western Cape police say they have received several notices for marches planned across the province next Tuesday by anti-illegal immigration groups.
Several civic organisations are expected to take to the streets on June 30, calling for foreign nationals to leave the country.
Outgoing Western Cape Police Commissioner, Lieutenant General Thembisile Patekile, outlined law enforcement’s preparedness plans during a media briefing in Cape Town on Thursday.
Patekile said police have identified several potential hotspots across the province but declined to reveal their exact locations.
The announcement comes amid concerns over possible unrest.
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Previous protests linked to illegal immigration have turned violent in parts of the Western Cape, including in Mossel Bay, where at least three deaths were linked to the unrest.
Patekile said police remain on high alert.
“We have continuously had hotspots, but they continue to change. There was a protest that was violent in the Southern Cape. But in all of the 27 marches, we’ve arrested eight people for different offences.”
Patekile said police will continue monitoring identified high-risk areas and remain ready to respond to any incidents.
Ntuthuzelo Nene
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