By Bev Mortimer:
By Bev Mortimer: Yesterday, ’30 June’, Thousands of SAPS officers and personnel were deployed across the country, with the military and South African Defence Force on standby, which helped prevent the kind of large-scale violence many feared.
Yesterday’s law enforcement exercise was a R600-million security effort , according to reports by government and Acting Police Minister, Firoz Cachalia.
Deployments were nationwide, coordinated via Provincial Joint Operational and Intelligence Structures (ProvJOINTS), with SAPS as the lead but supported by metro police, traffic officers, private security, Community Policing Forums (CPFs), and SANDF on standby.
Despite fears across the South African nation by law enforcement, government personnel and ordinary citizens, about the likelihood of violence and looting and damage to businesses, shops and homes, few major crimes occurred. The SAPS used helicopters to survey areas for outbreaks of violence or illegal, unruly demonstrations.
Many South African businesses closed for the day and many people stayed close to home.
A few estimates per province were revealed at provincial meetings:
Gauteng about 13000 SAPS officers on the ground, plus 10 000+ metro police, 8,000 traffic wardens, and more than 217 000 private security personnel
In the Western Cape, KZN, and other provinces there were thousands at major cities and towns and at hot spot areas.
But there are no total figures nationally released of numbers of SAPS officers employed. SAPS Officials spoke of ‘thousands , ‘10s of thousands’ , and ‘heightened police presence’.
These were the main crimes committed and action taken:
* There was looting at foreigners’ shops , shacks and businesses in Soweto;
* There were altercations between the SAPS and stone throwers in Thembisa
* The SAPS had to use rubber bullets to control and disperse Pietermaritzburg protestors.
* The SAPS made arrests of non-documented foreigners, plus for crimes like looting and public disorder.
St Francis Chronicle 