The National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure (NATJOINTS) has revealed that in the last 12 hours 87 protestors have been arrested across South Africa for public violence related offences.
According to the statement released by the joint security taskforce on Monday over the national shutdown to protest the continued load shedding in the country and socio-economic problems.
Since the beginning of the integrated deployments, the Natjoints together with the respective Provjoints have been monitoring the situation closely to prevent and combat any acts of lawlessness and criminality.
It was stated that of the 87 arrested, 41 were arrested in Gauteng, 29 in North West, 15 in Free State, adding that there are also arrests in other provinces such as Mpumalanga and the Eastern Cape.
“Updates will be provided as and when information becomes available. At least 24 300 tyres have been confiscated by enforcement agencies. These were tyres that were strategically placed for acts of criminality.
“6000 were seized in the Western Cape, 4500 in the Free State, 3600 in Gauteng, 1513 in the Eastern Cape and a few in other provinces”, the joint security taskforce explained.
While re-affirmed its commitment to serving and protecting both law abiding protestors, 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 and will continue to prevent, combat any acts of criminality, maintain public order, protect inhabitants of South Africa and their propertyas well as uphold and enforce the law”.