Government says it remains committed to protecting the constitutional right of South African’s to protest peacefully while ensuring law and order, during Tuesday’s nationwide demonstrations against illegal immigration.
Justice and Constitutional Development Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi, who chairs the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Migration, addressed a joint security briefing on the Gauteng’s state of readiness in Johannesburg ahead of the protest.
She was joined by Premier Panyaza Lesufi and senior South African Police Service (SAPS) officials.
Kubayi says, “We want to reiterate their right to protest, their right to express themselves where they are not happy with their own government, that cannot be taken away from them, but also appealing for those who will be joining to do this in a peaceful manner and not cause harm.”
She says, “We want to say that the state today is not going out to threaten its own citizens, but we have an obligation as government to ensure that there’s law and order.”
JULY UNREST
Kubayi says the lessons of the July 2021 unrest have informed its security planning.
She says security agencies have prepared extensively to safeguard communities while facilitating peaceful demonstrations.
Kubayi says, “So far there are no major incidents in Gauteng, but also from Natjoints, nothing has happened across and I think the national commissioner is here, will speak to those effects, It’s because there’s been preparedness from the state. I know people were asking us, why are you preparing? You have taught us as citizens that July 21 must never happen again in South Africa. So we’ve listened to you. We are ensuring that July 21 never happens again.”
BROADER MIGRATION PROGRAMME
She also says the demonstrations will not divert law enforcement from its broader migration enforcement programme.
Kubayi says operations to strengthen border management, deport undocumented immigrants and enforce migration laws will continue after the protests.
She says the priority is to ensure public safety while migration enforcement continues.
Kubayi says, “Our work continues, we’re going to the border to visit the area. We’ll be looking at the border line, not only the border entrance. So it’s continuous, enforcement of migration laws continues where we’ve been able to deport, where we’ve been able to deal with a lot of things.”
She says, “We’ll deal with issues of the sim card. So it’s not about today. It’s about other areas. The issue is when you redirect efforts of the state to some different direction, then you stop particular areas. Now today, our focus is to ensure that South Africans are safe.”
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