Police say they will not tolerate criminality and lawless in response to an organisation that plans a protest at Union Buildings in support of KZN police commissioner Lt-Gen Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi on Friday.
National police spokesperson Brig Athlenda Mathe said there will not be a shutdown, and officers will enforce the law decisively if the protesters prohibit people's freedom of movement during the demonstrations.
"We will not tolerate any lawlessness and any form of criminality, whichever way it manifests itself," said Mathe.
Since the beginning of the week, there has been an ongoing protest across the country in support of Mkhwanazi, who made explosive allegations against police minister Senzo Mchunu and deputy police commissioner for crime detection Gen Shadrack Sibiya, whom he accused of being in cahoots with criminals. Mchunu and Sibiya have since been placed on "leave of absence".
Inwooners civic organisation leader David Ratladi said they will stage a protest at the Union Buildings with 10 other organisations under the banner of "Hands Off Mkhwanazi".
“We are tired, the president has failed us, we are on autopilot," he said. “ We say the president should have recalled Mchunu like he did with DA deputy minister [Andrew Whitfield],” Ratladi said
MK Party Gauteng leader Abel Tau said they will also stage a protest at Union Buildings to demand that President Cyril Ramaphosa resign.
We are tired, the president has failed us, we are on autopilot. We say the president should have recalled Mchunu like he did with DA deputy minister [Andrew Whitfield].
— Inwooners leader David Ratladi
He said they were disappointed at Ramaphosa for calling the media briefing to announce Mchunu was going to be put on special leave and that a commission of inquiry would be established. "Ramaphosa knows that the reports of commissions are delivered at his desk and gather dust. This is an urgent criminal matter that does not require reporting between three and six months by any commission," he said.
However, Mathe assured South Africans everyone will be safe during these protests. "We request that for those that will take part in a march, that they continue to behave themselves in that orderly manner as we have seen in recent days," she said.
"As the [law enforcement] we have a joint responsibility to protect everyone in our country and their property, including members of the international community. While every citizen has a right to protest, we want to reiterate that this right must be exercised in a manner that does not infringe on the rights of non-protesters. Prohibiting people's freedom of movement is a criminal offence. We will, therefore, enforce the law decisively in this regard."
Mkhwanazi alleged that Mchunu interfered with sensitive police investigations. He accused him of protecting controversial businessman Vusimusi “Cat” Matlala, who is currently in court following the shooting of two women, one of whom was badly injured. He also said that Sibiya influenced the minister to disband the political killing task team, which had discovered a drug syndicate in Gauteng.
As a result, Ramaphosa established a commission of inquiry led by acting deputy Chief Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga.
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