Gauteng authorities have confirmed the arrest of 154 people linked to incidents arising from anti-illegal immigration marches across the province, with law enforcement warning that further arrests are expected as operations move into a post-protest enforcement phase.
Addressing a media briefing on Wednesday, Gauteng Provincial Commissioner Lieutenant General Tommy Mthombeni said police and other law enforcement agencies had acted against individuals who exploited the marches to commit crimes, despite repeated warnings from authorities.
“We have accounted 37 incidents with 154 arrests,” Mthombeni said.
“It means people, even if they are warned, they still commit these crimes. We are on phase three. You are forewarned again that anything which is unlawful, you’re going to be arrested. We’re going to add to these numbers.”
The briefing was hosted by the Gauteng Provincial Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure (PROVJOINTS), alongside Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi, following province-wide demonstrations over illegal immigration.
Mthombeni described many of those arrested as “habitual criminals” who had ignored warnings that immigration enforcement remains the responsibility of authorised state officials.
“We know we have got a challenge of migration and we had a concern which we have raised relating to migration. We have emphasized that migration enforcement remains the responsibility of authorised state officials,” he said.
“We want members of the public that they may not conduct migration checks, demand identification documents, profile individuals or take enforcement action, as such conduct constitutes unlawful criminal conduct.”
The commissioner revealed that authorities had confiscated eight firearms during operations linked to the protests, including six unlicensed firearms.
Among the major incidents investigated were violent confrontations in Palm Ridge, Hillbrow, Diepsloot, Nigel and Alexandra.
Police arrested eight people for public violence after two individuals were struck by a vehicle in Palm Ridge. In Hillbrow, three suspects were arrested following a shooting incident that left two people wounded. Their licensed firearms were confiscated pending investigations.
In Diepsloot, four people were arrested after police recovered an unlicensed firearm during a looting-related incident, while another suspect was arrested in Nigel in connection with a business robbery linked to the marches.
Authorities are also investigating a fatal incident in Alexandra where a man died following clashes involving protesters and members of the private security industry.
Premier Lesufi praised law enforcement agencies, intelligence services and the South African National Defence Force for what he described as a successful security operation built around advanced technology and coordinated planning.
“We are coming here to thank our law enforcement agencies in our province,” Lesufi said.
“What they crafted was a three-pronged strategy. One which was mainly readiness, two was action on the day and three was post-events.”
He said the province’s security response included drones, helicopters, CCTV surveillance systems and support from the private sector through Business Against Crime South Africa.
“We brought all these institutions under one roof where we could be in a position to monitor the incidents that were taking place across the province,” he said.
While commending organisers of authorised marches for cooperating with authorities, Lesufi condemned violence and criminality that emerged in some areas.
“Those that were planned and submitted by marchers went on peacefully, and for that we are grateful,” he said.
“Those that have taken advantage of the issues that have been raised and continue to behave in a manner that is completely unacceptable, we remain on alert.”
The premier confirmed that Gauteng Cabinet has approved a provincial summit to engage protest leaders, political parties, government departments and other stakeholders on concerns raised in memorandums submitted during the demonstrations.
The discussions, scheduled for later this month, will focus on immigration, access to public services, business regulation and related socio-economic concerns.
“We are ready as a caring government to ensure that we enter into meaningful discussions and formulate proposals that will have permanent solutions,” Lesufi said.
“We can’t have these marches literally every day and that’s creating problems in our province.”
Despite the scale of the operation, Lesufi acknowledged that sustaining the heightened security deployment would be costly but insisted that investment in law enforcement remains essential.
“If we can have this number of policemen permanently stationed in our province, we can take on crime, we can take on lawlessness,” he said.
“We are prepared as the Gauteng government because to get the economy functioning, you have to ensure that there are law enforcement agents.”
Authorities said 27 hotspots across Gauteng remain under close monitoring, with security deployments continuing as law enforcement agencies maintain a heightened state of readiness amid warnings of further demonstrations in the coming weeks.
IOL News
Wendy Dondolo
iol.co.za
