The National Joint Operations and Intelligence Structure (Natjoints) said at least 550 protesters had been arrested for various crimes ranging from public violence to intimidation on Tuesday.
This comes after the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) took to the streets across the country to demand an end to the burden and for President Cyril Ramaphosa to step down.
Natjoints ‘promise’
“Through the respective Provjoints throughout the country, the Natjoints work closely with various stakeholders in the Security Cluster, have ensured the maximum mobilization of resources for heightened police visibility with a view to preventing offenses and criminality,” Brigadier Athlenda Mathe on Friday night.
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“Therefore, Natjoints is pleased to report that it has made a promise to the people of this country, to ensure that the measures taken allow businesses and services to operate with minimal incidents of criminality reported throughout the country.”
While the protests in Pretoria were “peaceful and orderly”, according to Natjoints, arrests were made in other parts of the country, which were found to be illegal.
National shutdown arrest
In its latest update on Tuesday night, Natjoints said it had arrested more than 550 protesters for public violence, intimidation, damage to critical infrastructure, theft and attempted robbery, among others.
Gauteng recorded the highest number of arrests with 149, the Northern Cape recorded the second highest number with 95 arrests, the Eastern Cape also saw 80 protesters arrested, followed by the Free State with 64 arrests.
The number of tires confiscated throughout the country remains at 24,300.
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“This is a strategically placed tire for criminal activity.
“For this purpose, the deployment of law enforcement will continue to monitor the situation closely to ensure the safety and security of all people in the country. The public is encouraged to continue to report wrongdoing and suspicious activities to the nearest police station or call the crime prevention number on 0860010111 .
According to Natjoints, the secondary support role of the South African National Defense Force (SANDF) to assist police work by protecting critical infrastructure such as ports of entry, highways, and harbors also produced positive results, as no disruptions were reported. .
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