As South Africa prepares to host the BRICS summit in the coming week, the National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure (NatJoints) on Thursday, confirmed its readiness to ensure that when the country welcomes international leaders, this happens in a “safe and secure environment”. 

“Maximum deployment is going to be undertaken for this operation… All law enforcement agencies under the Justice, Crime Prevention and Security (JCPS) cluster will be deployed,” said co-chairperson of the NatJoints, Lieutenant-General Tebello Mosikili on Thursday morning.

Mosikili was briefing the media on NatJoints safety and security plans ahead of the 15th BRICS summit from 22 to 24 August. 

She couldn’t divulge law enforcement numbers for security reasons but said security will be tightened around the summit venue, the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg. This includes several road closures.

NatJoints will heighten police visibility in and around the conference centre, “with the aim of preventing and combating any form of opportunistic crime” ahead of, and for the duration of the summit, said Mosikili. 

“We have mobilised maximum resources from all government departments involved in the planning of this particular event. 

“Together with the various law enforcement agencies including the Ekurhuleni Metro Police Department (EMPD) and Johannesburg Metro Police Department (JMPD), we are executing and implementing the security plan accordingly, which will include more boots on the ground,” she added.

International Relations and Cooperation Minister Naledi Pandor said on Monday, 7 August, that South Africa is ready to host the BRICS summit. Pandor confirmed that Chinese president Xi Jinping, Indian prime minister Narendra Modi and Brazilian president Lula da Silva would attend the summit in Sandton in person. 

Russian president Vladimir Putin will participate virtually, and Russia will be represented in Johannesburg by Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.

Read in Daily Maverick: The BRICS Summit in Johannesburg — what’s it all about?

Meanwhile, speaking to the media on Sunday, electricity minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa said that no special arrangement would be made to exempt Johannesburg from rolling blackouts when it hosts the BRICS summit between 22 and 24 August. The city will be expected, if there are rolling blackouts, to make its contribution to protect the national grid, said Ramokgopa. 

Read in Daily Maverick: ‘Protecting the economy’ — Ramokgopa defends spending billions on emergency diesel

Road closures and airspace restrictions

According to Mosikili, high-density operations will be conducted through increased roadblocks and vehicle checkpoints, and police will maintain high visibility on foot, vehicle, mounted and air patrols. 

“Stabilised operations and deployment of members at crime hotspots to ensure heightened integrated crime prevention operations are underway,” she said.

A notice to all airmen has also been issued by the Civil Aviation Authority, which restricts the airspace within two nautical miles and 5,000 feet above sea level to the summit venue, throughout the duration of the gathering, said Mosikili. 

“All flyers are advised that this is a strictly no drone zone,” said Mosikili. “Those who are found to be operating drones in the vicinity will be in breach of the restriction imposed by the Civil Aviation Authority, and as such, steps will be taken against those who transgress.”

Mosikili advised Johannesburg residents that there will be limited access in areas surrounding the Sandton Convention Centre. Those operating businesses and those who live near the Sandton Convention Centre are to be aware of the following road closures, from 8am on Sunday, 20 August to midnight on Thursday, 24 August:

• Corner of Maude Street and West Street;
• Corner of West Street and Alice Lane; and
• Corner of Alice Lane and 5th Street.

Those operating businesses and residing near the Midrand Gallagher Estate, are to be aware of the following road closures, on Wednesday, 23 August, from 3pm to midnight:

• Gallagher Avenue and Richards Drive;
• Richards Drive traffic circle;
• Johnnic Boulevard and Lupton Drive; and
• Johnnic Boulevard and Pretoria Main Road. DM