South Africans Question Additional Police Deployment in KZN
- Many citizens have questioned the recent deployment of Public Order Policing officers to KwaZulu-Natal
- National Commissioner General Fannie Masemola deployed 300 more officers to monitor post-election results activities
- Netizens said authorities should instead focus on disaster relief efforts following major storms suffered across KZN
Zingisa Chirwa is an experienced Briefly News journalist based in Johannesburg, South Africa, who has covered elections and current affairs on the radio for over 15 years.
Source: Getty Images
Many South Africans are questioning deploying additional Public Order Policing (POP) members to KwaZulu-Natal.
SAPS deploy 300 more officers to monitor KZN
The SAPS' National Commissioner, General Fannie Masemola, deployed 300 more officers to KZN to bolster the NATJOINTS safety and security 2024 National and Provincial Elections plan.
The group was the third to be sent to the coastal province. According to SA News, the first group of about 200 members was deployed early in May 2024, while the second contingency of over 300 was deployed during the election period.
In a statement released on 4 June 2024, the police said the NATJOINTS NPE operational plan had entered its third phase, where law enforcement agencies monitor activities related to the election results.
General Masemola said the continuous deployment of officers in some areas forms part of the SAPS operational strategy to maintain stability throughout the country:
“We thank voters and communities for thus far conducting themselves in an orderly and responsible manner. We hope this will prevail. Those who step out of line will be dealt with.”
The police said some officers would also be deployed to the Tongaat to assist those affected by the recent floods.
Citizens urge authorities to redirect resources
Netizens said the deployment of additional public order police was unnecessary and suggested that authorities instead focus on disaster relief efforts following major storms suffered across the province.
@African_Spring said:
“Just saw a bunch of them at the car wash, they look like they are ready for war. Bulletproof vests and...”
@option_bad wondered:
“Anyone to balance the public on what’s happening so we can also prepare; the media has been telling us about tornado nothing more jikijiki more police deployment kwenzakalani kanti [What’s happening]?”
@Stimela_Mgazi asked:
“Stability you say, right? But what is going [on] because we, the people only know that KZN is affected by floods. Is there any fighting going on?”
@Generalmdlaka pointed out:
“KZN isn’t stable; there are drug dealers in South Beach selling drugs in daylight, but they wouldn’t deploy police there but deploy them for non-existence issues. The State security agency is just hallucinating nothing else.”
@Nqo_Radebe added:
“Jacob Zuma has told KZN to remain calm, no need for Police. The Government might be planning something to provoke KZN; that’s why they need a lot of Police.”
KZN police partner with army to thwart election
Briefly News reported that the KZN police partnered with the national army, crime intelligence, and private security to curb election violence.
The move follows protest warnings from security company Fidelity and banking group FirstRand.
It's alleged that the ConCourt ruling barring Jacob Zuma from standing for office could result in unrest similar to July 2021.
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Source: Briefly News
