Central SA
Shutdown: Police arrest 95 in Northern Cape, 64 in Free State─── KEKELETSO MOSEBETSI 08:47 Tue, 21 Mar 2023
The Northern Cape and Free State are two of the provinces that recorded some of the highest numbers of arrests during the Economic Freedom Fighters' national shutdown protest on Monday, 20 March 2023.
At least 550 people were arrested in South Africa for various crimes ranging from intimidation to public violence.
The spokesperson for the National Joint Operation and Intelligent Structure, Brigadier Athlenda Mathe, announced that 95 arrests were effected in the Northern Cape and 64 in the Free State .
Gauteng had the most arrests recorded with 149 people behind bars, and the Eastern Cape had 80 arrests. More than 24 000 tyres were confiscated throughout the country.
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According to Mathe, the accused will face charges of public violence, intimidation, damage to critical infrastructure, theft and attempted looting. She thanked all law enforcement agencies that worked hand in hand with the police to ensure order was maintained during the shutdown.
"Through intelligence-driven operations, the swift response by members of the police and other law enforcement agencies to pockets of opportunistic criminality is commended. The secondary support role of the South African National Defence Force in assisting the work of the police by protecting critical infrastructure such as ports of entry, toll roads, and harbours has also yielded positive results.
"The role of private security in the sharing of resources and as a force multiplier on the ground also played a major role in ensuring that law enforcement visibility is heightened. Through the SAPS E2 (eyes and ears) project, the security industry made resources and tools of trade available to law enforcement."
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"Members of the Community Policing Forums, neighbourhood watches and other community structures are also commended for their supportive role. The transport sector, especially the South African National Taxi Council and the National Taxi Alliance are commended."
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Mathe said the law enforcement deployments will continue to monitor the situation to ensure the safety and security of everyone in the country.
