SA To Spend R600 Million On Police For 30 June Anti-migration Marches

South Africa will spend R600 million to bolster police operations ahead of nationwide marches planned for 30 June, Acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia has said.

Briefing the media on Monday, 22 June, Cachalia said the funds had been redirected within the South African Police Service (SAPS) budget to ensure officers are ready to protect communities, critical infrastructure and key public spaces during the demonstrations against illegal immigration.

He said the government supports the right to peaceful protest but will not tolerate criminality, intimidation or threats to public order.

Cachalia said the scale of the operation was placing a strain on resources and required additional support to maintain operational readiness.

“Some of the protest action, as well as other costs, we have a situation that we have to deal with the fallout in the region,” said Cachalia.

“Damage to South Africa’s reputation, in our region, our continent, and globally, of what people are seeing in the country, which undermines our ability to create jobs, to grow the economy, and so forth, and to promote regional security.

“We need to be able to cooperate with other governments in the region to control migration.

“If they don’t trust us, if that relationship breaks down, then our ability to control migration is also undermined.”

Defence Minister Angie Motshekga said that the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) is on standby, but stressed troops will only be deployed if the police request assistance.

“As defence, our role is around key points including provinces like Gauteng, KZN, Western Cape and Eastern Cape and also airports.”

With a week to go until the 30 June marches, police have urged participants to act responsibly and help keep the demonstrations peaceful and orderly.

More: SABC News