Was shutdown a rumour?
LAW enforcement agencies yesterday thwarted the anticipated national shutdown.
The event failed to materialise with the police and members of the SANDF placed on high alert, with the National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure (NatJOINTS) saying it had put measures in place to ensure safety and security.
Talk of a shutdown began early this month, with indications that its main aim was to force President Cyril Ramaphosa to release former president Jacob Zuma from prison. Zuma is serving a 15-month sentence for defying the Constitutional Court.
However, briefing the provincial government of KwaZulu-Natal on Friday last week, state security officials said truck drivers, under the banner of the All Truck Drivers Foundation, wanted to use the day to kick out foreign drivers.
It is said the authorities feared that the drivers’ action would probably spark another spate of violent protests, with some using the opportunity to call for Zuma’s release.
Gauteng Premier David Makhura, meanwhile, has urged citizens to abide by the law and to report any suspicious activity to the police.
“I call on the people of Gauteng to work with the police and community policing forums to ensure that no acts of violence and criminality see the light of day in our communities.
Law enforcement agencies stand ready to defend institutions of democracy and protect economic infrastructure,” Makhura said yesterday.
He added that law enforcement agencies would remain on high alert.
By yesterday afternoon, no incidents of unrest had been reported in the province.
Gauteng police spokesperson Captain Kay Makhubele said police officers remained on the alert despite the “quietness”.
Johannesburg Metro Police Department (JMPD) spokesperson Wayne Minnaar said officers were manning the N1, M1, M2, N3, N14 and N17 highways, and that no incidents of disruption had been reported.
“The situation is calm and traffic is flowing like normal,” Minnaar said.
In KwaZulu-Natal, the situation was also calm.
In Durban, most noticeable was the high presence of joint security forces from the SAPS and the army who were on high alert guarding almost every strategic corner in the city – from railway stations to entry points to industrial sites and freeway entry points.
The only buzz about the shutdown was on social media, with old videos of violence circulating.
Spokesperson of NatJOINTS, Lieutenant-Colonel Robert Netshiunda, said they would issue a comprehensive report about the events of the day.
The statement had not been received by the time of publication.