Police arrest 900 people during protests, including 300 undocumented migrants

An assessment of the widespread 30 June demonstrations against illegal immigrants indicates that while there were isolated incidents of crime, most of the demonstrations were peaceful. In total, 900 people were arrested, and South Africa remains relatively stable.

These numbers were revealed by the National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure (NatJoints) at their headquarters in Pretoria on Wednesday, 1 July. NatJoints chairperson Lieutenant General Tebello Mosikili said that the situation during the day and overnight was one of relative calm.

There were 120 official demonstrations and 300 affiliated demonstrations during the day and into the night. The protests, most of which were peaceful, were attended by thousands of people.

However, there were isolated incidents of violence. Looting was documented overnight in Germiston and Alexandra in Gauteng, and Clermont in KwaZulu-Natal, in which foreign-owned businesses and homes were targeted. In Germiston, there were reports of protesters breaking into homes suspected of housing foreign nationals and dragging people out.

At least two people — one aged 17 — were injured in a shooting in Hillbrow and three arrests were made. While there was widespread speculation on social media that at least one of the shooting suspects was a Nigerian national, the police have not provided any of the nationalities of those involved.

Of the 120 official demonstrations, 108 were peaceful with no recorded incidents and 12 required law enforcement to intervene in incidents of civil unrest. The Eastern Cape recorded the most protests at 28 (including two incidents of civil unrest), followed by KwaZulu-Natal with 21 protests and two unrest incidents, and Gauteng with 12 protests and one incident of unrest.

Of the 900 arrests, more than 300 were of undocumented migrants for contravening the Immigration Act. Other arrests were made for looting, attempted looting, public violence, incitement to commit public violence, and harbouring undocumented migrants. The Western Cape had the bulk of arrests (215), followed by the Eastern Cape (208) and Gauteng (154).

“Those who sought to exploit yesterday’s demonstration for criminal gain were identified, pursued and brought before the law,” said Mosikili.

“Law enforcement will continue to monitor developments through the days ahead. We remain vigilant, we remain prepared, and we continue to act decisively against anyone who threatens the safety, security and stability of our country. We also intensify our operations to ensure that all people who are in the country are in possession of valid documents and are in compliance with the laws of the republic.”

Gauteng arrests

Later on Wednesday, the Gauteng Provincial Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure (ProvJoints) held a briefing alongside Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi. Gauteng Provincial Police Commissioner Tommy Mthombeni said that in Palm Ridge, two people were run over and injured by a vehicle, leading to eight arrests. Of the 154 arrests across the province, the highest number was in Ekurhuleni.

Overnight, media reported that one person was shot and killed in Alexandra following a looting incident. Mthombeni said this was still being investigated.

“There was a reaction from the security industry and one person passed on,” said Mthombeni, without providing further details.

On Tuesday afternoon, March and March leader Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma confirmed that the organisation planned to hold protests every Thursday until their demands are met. Lesufi said that while state security will continue to mobilise resources at 27 hotspots, there will also be efforts to engage leaders in dialogue to prevent indefinite protests.

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“With the announcement made that some of the marches may take place every Thursday, we are not lowering our guards,” said Lesufi.

“We may not have the resources and the capacity at that level, but the approach is to enter negotiations and discussions with the organisers. In the Cabinet meeting I was in, we agreed to have a two-day session with the organisers, and we are going to go through all the issues they have raised in all the memorandums that have been submitted to us.”

Thousands of people took part in Tuesday’s demonstrations. The police have confirmed that while they will continue to support people’s constitutional right to peacefully protest, they will arrest those who break the law or try to take policing into their own hands. DM