In the wake of sporadic incidents of violence related to the upcoming elections, the heads of the National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure (NatJoints) have called for political tolerance among voters and members of various parties.
During a briefing held at the NatJoints Co-ordination Centre at the SAPS Tshwane Academy on Sunday, NatJoints co-chair and Deputy National Commissioner responsible for policing, Lieutenant-General Tebello Mosikili said security stakeholders were pleased that in the short space of time, the centre had assisted law-enforcement officials to fast-track responses to threats and any acts of lawlessness.
Mosikili said they had no doubts that their early warning system had proven itself to be able to assist them with detecting and addressing all identified security risks so far.
This as she explained how NatJoints had been able to deal with the anticipated truck protest action from members within the Road Freight Industry, as well as taxi blockages in Port Shepstone and Durban in KwaZulu-Natal.
So far she said the Provincial Commissioner of KZN, Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi was still in meetings with disgruntled taxi operators who blockaded the N2 and N3 routes to find a solution to the impasse.
At the same time, she said police would remain on high alert, with a heavy police presence to monitor and mitigate any taxi violence in Mthatha and Maclear in the Eastern Cape.
To date, police have confiscated 38 licensed pistols and five rifles from members of taxi associations in Mthatha for further investigation.
In relation to the elections, Mosikili explained that police were investigating 27 more cases, seven of which were registered and being investigated by Limpopo police, which include shooting and wounding of a 25-year-old man and a 9-year-old girl who were shot in Seshego during a door-to-door campaign.
She said as many as 14 cases were registered which include the contravention of the firearms control act, contravention of the gatherings act, two attempted murder cases and malicious damage to property.
A further six cases relating to the vandalism and illegal removal of posters are being investigated by the police.
“We take this opportunity to call for political tolerance among voters and members of various parties. Our collaborative efforts have showcased that we will not tolerate and allow anyone to undermine our efforts to ensure stability across the country.”
Forging ahead with the second phase of the NatJoints operational plan in the next few days leading to the elections, Mosikili said law enforcement would heighten police visibility and ensure more boots were on the ground in all corners of the country.
“We therefore take this opportunity to caution responsible citizens, especially social media users from spreading fake news. You are all urged to verify facts first before sharing any information which often leads to unnecessary confusion and panic.”
Mosikili added: “We will not tolerate any incitement of violence on any platforms. Our intelligence communities and cybercrime units are closely monitoring online users. You are warned not to step out of line.”
The Star