There are mixed views among Members of Parliament (MPs) regarding the R600 million set aside to support security operations linked to protests planned for 30 June against undocumented foreign nationals.
Government has been criticised in some quarters for the amount to be spent in a single day.
Build One South Africa’s leader, Mmusi Maimane, has described the expected nationwide protests against undocumented foreign nationals as similar to extortion.
“It is common cause that all protests need to be peaceful. They need to be able to comply with the law. The march scheduled for tomorrow cannot turn violent. It is ultimately another form of extortion where people are entitled to go march, create conditions of violence and force conflict with the state. While the matter of immigration is absolutely important in that we enforce all of our laws, it is equally important that in protesting we do not break laws and cause extortionary conditions. R600 million being spent on the police is money that could have been utilised for the capacitation of police.”
Al Jama-ah leader and Deputy Minister of Social Development, Ganief Hendricks, says the amount of money set aside to support security operations is not adequate.
Hendriks says Al Jama-ah views the anti-immigrant protest as part of a broader push for regime change and warns that it could escalate tensions and potentially contribute to instability in South Africa.
“Further allocations must be considered because the half a billion rand is not enough to keep the country safe as a result of the new changes and new challenges. The party has directed to the president and the Minister of CoGTA to declare a national state of disaster that will provide more than half a billion rand.”
Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) Chief Whip Nhlanhla Hadebe says South Africans are justified in questioning the money allocated for security measures around the protests.
“The IFP notes the widespread public concern regarding the reported R600 million expenditure on security measures for a single day. South Africans have every right to question whether such expenditure is justified, particularly at a time when many communities continue to grapple with unemployment, poverty, deteriorating infrastructure and inadequate service delivery. Every rand of public money must be spent prudently, transparently and in a manner that serves the public interest.”
The United Democratic Movement’s Bulelani Bobotyana says government needs to explain where the money comes from.
“And we support proper preparedness by the South African Police Services, but the minister must explain where this R600 million suddenly comes from. Communities are told every day that there is no money for vehicles for directives and for visible policing and functioning police stations. So, we are asking ourselves is this thing a new funding or a reprioritised funding or is it money diverted from existing policy needs, the public deserves a clear break down and proper accountability from the minister.”
EFF Member of Parliament Nontando Nolutshungu says the party is very concerned about the sudden government funding for security measures.
“ What concerns the EFF is the reported allocation of R600 million for a single day security operations. This comes only a few years after government spent R368 million during an EFF national shut-down. We are seeing a dangerous pattern where the ANC-led GNU suddenly finds hundreds of millions whenever there is a political crisis, yet when South Africans demand jobs, the insourcing of workers, the cancellation of student debt, functioning municipalities or better public services, we are told there is no money.”
VIDEO | Police outline plans for the 30 June protests:
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