Police instructed to restrain anyone obstructing SONA address

Police Minister Bheki Cele has directed officers to restrain anyone who may be involved in the obstruction of the law ahead of the State of the Nation Address (SONA).

Integrated law enforcement agencies held a parade in Cape Town before they were deployed in and around Cape Town to maintain peace and stability.

The multi-disciplinary deployment comprised Law enforcement agencies from the South African Police Service (SAPS), the National Traffic Police, the Western Cape’s Provincial Traffic Police, the City of Cape Town’s Metro Police, Traffic Services, and Law enforcement officers.

A huge contingent of various law enforcement officers deployed in different parts of Cape Town. The security officers aim to increase visibility to prevent crime, protect citizens and enforce the law.

“Those that are respecting the law you will treat them as such. You will make sure that you give them a smile. But those that are trying to be clever you are not having the same face. You are not having the same treatment. You are going hard on them within the law. They must realise this is a country with the law and this cannot be a banana Republic,” says Cele.

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Defence and Military Veterans Minister Thandi Modise says that the deployed members of SANDF should keep within the prescripts of the military code.

“Members of the South African National Defence Force you would’ve gone through your rights you would remember what you were taught. We expect that you keep within the prescripts of the military code. And we hope you will excel in doing whatever it is that you have to do.”

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Cele has, meanwhile, responded to allegations that police warned the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) that its Secretary General, Marshall Dlamini, was an alleged target for assassination by the IFP.

“The Minister of Police phoned political leaders in the IFP, ANC, and the EFF. The only leadership we did not phone was the NFP. We were going to engage them later. The issue of rising political tensions was raised. That is the information that was raised to our leaders. There is no other information the minister had that goes to specific individuals, whether as perpetrators or victims.”