Pretoria - More than 80 people have been arrested by the National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure (Natjoints) in the early hours of Monday.
According to Natjoints the alleged perpetrators were arrested across the country for public violence.
The police are on high alert because EFF president Julius Malema and his members are expected to take to the streets across the country today calling for president Cyril Ramaphosa to step down and for an end to load shedding.
In a statement issued on Monday morning Natjoints spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe said law enforcement was monitoring closely to prevent and combat any acts of lawlessness and criminality.
WATCH: The police have started arresting some protesters in Braamfontein in Joburg. It is not yet clear whether the unarmed protestors were posing any threat or not. Also, whether they were destroying any property or causing public disorder or being violent. #NationalShutdown pic.twitter.com/CR5OimOq8x
— Sihle Mavuso (@ZANewsFlash) March 19, 2023
Of the 87 that were arrested, 41 were nabbed in Gauteng, 29 in the North West and 15 in the Free State.
“There are also arrests in other provinces such as Mpumalanga and the Eastern Cape. Updates will be provided as and when information becomes available,” Mathe said.
She added that about 24 300 tyres had been confiscated already.
“These were tyres that were strategically placed for acts of criminality,” she said.
About 6 000 were seized in the Western Cape, 4 500 in the Free State, 3 600 in Gauteng, 1513 in the Eastern Cape and a few in other provinces.
“The Natjoints re-affirms its commitment to serving and protecting both law abiding protestors and non-protestors. The Natjoints will not allow and tolerate any forms of lawlessness and acts of criminality. Anyone found to be contravening the law will be dealt with accordingly.
“Law enforcement officers are on high alert and will continue to prevent and combat any acts of criminality, maintain public order, protect the inhabitants of South Africa and their property as well as uphold and enforce the law,” she said.
Meanwhile, on Sunday night members of the party were arrested in Braamfontein while they were preparing for their shut-down.
This brought the furry of EFF spokesperson Sinawo Tambo who released a statement accusing police of being violent.
In a video that had since gone viral protestors are seen being thrown into police vans after being arrested.
Tambo said: “Happening now, people who had held a night vigil peacefully In Braamfontein, Johannesburg have been violently arrested, the police proceed to fire shots at a window of a residential building.”
Pretoria News