NATJOINTS: Police on standby to monitor protests during Johannesburg G20 Summit

NATJOINTS says police will be on standby to monitor and address the protests from groups, including Operation Dudula, which has said it will protest during the G20 Leaders’ Summit, warning that no lawlessness will be tolerated.

SAPS deputy national commissioner for policing, Lieutenant General Tebello Mosikili, outlined the security cluster’s readiness for the summit, scheduled for November 22–23.

She warned that anyone who challenges security measures “will face the full might of the law.”

“With regards to the groups, yes, we have identified them. We know of the groups that will be protesting anywhere within Johannesburg, not only within Nasrec, but other groups have also indicated their interest in other areas,” she said. 

“We have planned accordingly, like we do with any other event where protests are happening. We have deployments ready to direct, and of course we have engaged the departments that are responsible to be available to respond.”

Mosikili, who is the co-chair of the NATJOINTS said the right to protest will be allowed, but “within the proper directives and proper confines of the law.”

Mosikili added that some groups had already begun their protest plans as early as Tuesday.

“They were policed and managed accordingly,” she said. 

“I must indicate that, over and above those that are protesting within Johannesburg, we have also seen in other parts of the country where such has been undertaken.”

Operation Dudula and other civic groups have announced plans to protest while the G20 Summit is under way on November 22–23 in Johannesburg.

Operation Dudula leader Zandile Dabula said the action will not be a shutdown or involve blocking access routes, but will be a peaceful protest within the law to highlight issues faced by South Africans, including poverty and unemployment.

Operation Dudula is not the only group planning demonstrations this week. 

Advocacy group Women for Change is planning a nationwide shutdown on November 21, the day before the summit, to protest gender-based violence and demand that it be declared a national disaster.

Meanwhile, Mosikili said no threats had been identified ahead of the summit.

“With regards to threats, as I outlined in our operational approach, we do consider that there will be abnormal patterns when we have incidents of this nature,” she said. 

“There is no one identified as the biggest threat.”

She said intelligence agencies are providing daily assessments.

“What the intelligence communities communicate to the joint structure is verified information ready to be operationalised,” she said. 

“We do so on a daily basis and will continue until we conclude our operations.”

Mosikili added that Operation Shanela, a nationwide crime-prevention initiative, continues to help identify patterns and potential threats. 

The operation targets serious and violent crimes through stop-and-searches, roadblocks, vehicle checkpoints, and high-visibility patrols in all nine provinces.

Regarding concerns about incoming flights for the summit, she said teams were prepared to handle increased traffic at the country’s points of entry.

“We are expecting leaders from across the globe,” she said. 

“Our plan includes a work stream operating at ports of entry - not only air, but also land and sea. We have teams ready, and they will respond accordingly with the sufficient deployment we have put in place.”

simon.majadibodu@iol.co.za

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