Cape Town – The Acting National Police Commissioner says they are ready to deal with any "elements" that might crop up today ahead of the State of the Nation Address.
Lieutenant General Kgomotso Phahlane was briefing media earlier after addressing hundreds of police officers on their operational readiness ahead of tonight’s activities.
About 6 000 police officers are said to have been deployed to Cape Town today for the opening of Parliament.
Not to be drawn into details of their various operations around Parliament’s precinct and the city centre, Phahlane said plans of action had been put in place to react to various incidents that might crop up.
Both members of the African National Congress and the Economic Freedom Fighters have began gathering in the city centre to hold events, one in support of President Jacob Zuma’s address and the other against it.
Last year police battled to separate the two who clashed along Adderly Street, which saw chaos erupting when riot police used water cannons to disperse the crowds.
In his address to the hundreds of police officers who are stationed in and around the city centre, Phahlane urged the members to all times use restraint when dealing going about their duties.
“The Constitution demands that we render a service that will make our people feel safe, so today when we go about our duties we must make sure that nothing takes our focus away from what we have been deployed to do,” he says.
“We must also not shy away, not allow ourselves to be threatened or fear anything as we go about the business of protecting those who will be here today.
“We will exercise restraint and if we have to use force we will do so within the constraints of the law and I urge every one of us not to overreact.”
Phahlane told media there is nothing unusual about in the deployment of 441 South African Defence Force members at the orders of President Zuma to maintain law and order during tonight’s proceedings.
“There is nothing foreign about our work with SANDF who are part of security Justice Crime Prevention and Security cluster and we have over the years performed or conducted operations of this nature with their help,” he says.
He added that he was confident enough had been done to to put in place measures to deal with whatever situation might arise during the course of the day.
“We have done our best, we have a plan that will be executed. We can’t rule out an element of unruly behaviour from certain quarters but when that situation arises, we will deal with that accordingly, we are ready,” he explains.
“We have a plan that took into consideration various dynamics and we should call upon the plan to do it’s part when the need arises.
“Ours is to make sure we secure SONA, everyone has a role to play, Parliament has it’s own security and they will be left to play that role.”
IOL