Gauteng police say they are reviewing CCTV footage and all videos shared on social media to identify the suspects involved in Thursday’s riot in the Johannesburg inner city.
Police were pelted with rocks when they attempted to evict illegal traders.
There are allegations that many involved in the riot were foreign nationals.
Johannesburg Mayor, Herman Mashaba visited the area and expressed disappointment over the lack of arrests.
Gauteng police spokesperson Brigadier Mathapelo Peters says their investigation is progressing. “At this stage we haven’t made any arrests as yet. But we are investigating, we want to be sure that when we do arrest people … the cases are prosecutable and that they will be able to face the might of the law.”
“We have collected CCTV footage; I mean there are videos all over social media. Our picture analysts are going through those pictures to make sure that when we do arrest, we arrest the people responsible for that violence,” explains Peters.
The Justice, Crime Prevention and security (JCPS) cluster, has condemned the acts of violence and criminality that occurred in the Johannesburg CBD, after attacks on the police during a raid to seize counterfeit goods.
Ministers in the cluster have described the incident as an attack on the state.
The cluster says they will continue to stamp the authority of the State and will liaise with the Department of International Relations (DIRCO) to engage embassies to encourage their citizens to respect the laws of South Africa.
JCPS spokesperson Siphiwe Dlamini says, “This shocking and unruly behaviour by the unruly mob to try and stop law enforcement agencies in carrying out their duties will not be tolerated. Blatant disregard for our law threatens national security and the sovereignty of our nation.”
“Government commends the men and women in blue who were on the ground enforcing the law in spite of attacks on them. Furthermore the Minister of Police Bheki Cele and the Gauteng Premier, David Makhura met to make an assessment of the situation,” explains Dlamini.
