250 New Metro Officers to Be Deployed to the JHB CBD to Enforce the Informal Trading Policy

• The Department of Economic Development has given the green light for 250 new Johannesburg Metro Police Officers
• The additional manpower would primarily be used to enforce the city's new Informal Trading Policy which will give priority to South African traders
• Foreign traders will not be banned from the CBD and a digital trading permit system will be introduced

JOHANNESBURG - 250 New Johannesburg Metro Police Officers will soon be walking the streets of the CBD after the Department of Economic Development sponsored the additional manpower.

The officer's primary role will be to enforce the city's newly implemented Informal Trading Policy which is set to change the way traders operate in the city centre.

Johannesburg will not ban foreign traders from the CBD but has created the policy to give South African traders preference according to eNCA.

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The city has also announced that it will be launching a digital trading permit system and is in the process of appointing an Informal Trading Stakeholder Committee according to the Daily Sun.

Operation Dudula stands guard amid national shutdown threats

Earlier, Briefly News reported that the leader of Operation Dudula Nhlanhla Lux Dlamini warned that members of the organisation are ready to protect areas that may be targeted by looters.

Taking to social media, Dlamini stated that the organisation has deployed people all over Soweto to protect commuters and shopping centres that may be hit on Friday, 10 June. He also added that they are being supported by the Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD) and the South African Police Service.

Dlamini also spoke to reporters on Friday morning while stationed in front of Maponya Mall in Soweto. Speaking to eNCA, Dlamini reiterated that they do not support the national shutdown and are prepared to stand firm and protect shopping centres.

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Police on high alert amid social media threats of a national shutdown on Friday, looting concerns raised

Dlamini stated that they have chosen to be on high alert because there are signs that what happened during the July unrest could happen again.

"If you remember last year during the July unrest, nobody said, 'Hi guys, my name is July unrest and I'm coming on this day.' There are just signs and these signs that we are seeing now and that is why we need to take these signs seriously," said Dlamini.

Source: Briefly News