Acting National Police Commissioner Puleng Dimpane says lawlessness will not be tolerated amid violent protests in Durban and Soweto.
Dimpane was speaking in Soweto, where she visited the scene of protests that took place earlier on Thursday.
She says crime intelligence and the SAPS will be working through the night to ensure that those responsible for the violence are apprehended.
She has urged those who have concerns to follow the right channels.
“Do not burn vehicles, do not burn property, do not destroy others’ property, do not attack people and do not intimidate others. If there are grievances, raise them through the appropriate channels. The government has indicated that it will address the Constitutional Court ruling through the established constitutional processes,” she says.
Several vehicles were, earlier today, torched in Soweto following clashes between foreign shop owners and locals.
It is not clear what led to the clashes.
The community of Soweto marched to the Home Affairs offices in Orlando to demand the premises be closed.
Protests erupted after the Department of Home Affairs reopened South Africa’s asylum system to new applicants in compliance with the latest Constitutional Court judgment.
The Acting Police Commissioner has urged calm as police remain on the ground.
“Our message tonight is, therefore, simple: we urge you to remain calm, remain vigilant and remain within the law. The SAPS is in control of its policing response and we are closely monitoring the situation. We are strengthening our deployments where necessary and we will respond firmly to any threat to public safety,” she says.
Dimpane has warned those who choose to take the law into their own hands.
“To those who intend to use violence, intimidation or destruction as a means of advancing their cause, our message is very clear: do not mistake restraint for weakness. The SAPS will exercise restraint where the law requires, but where criminality occurs we will act, we’ll persue you, we’ll find you and we’ll bring you to justice,” she adds.
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