'Ring of steel for G20 leaders' says Cachalia ahead of global heads summit

Acting Minister of Police Firoz Cachalia and National Police Commissioner General Fannie Masemola have rallied the troops deployed to the G20 Leaders' Summit with clear instructions to act decisively against troublemakers this weekend.

The acting minister, in the company of Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi, City of Joburg Mayor Dada Morero and Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development Mmamoloko Kubayi, oversaw the G20 Leaders' Summit's last preparatory operations during a parade held at the FNB Stadium's outfield on Wednesday.

Cachalia said that in light of the extensive preparations ahead of the global event, he is confident that this summit will be as incident-free as all the 130 preparatory meetings ahead of the summit.

His address comes just hours after leaders of the National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure (NATJOINTS) declared law enforcement's state of readiness to combat any form of disruptive behaviour at the two-day gathering.

"The G20 event is an event of global significance. It is important for us in South Africa, but in fact, it is a significant event for the history of the world, as it is going to define key issues around which the countries of the world need to focus and cooperate in the years ahead," he stated.

The parade was a show of collaboration among the country's various law enforcement agencies aimed at ensuring an incident-free G20 Summit set for the Nasrec Conference and Expo Centre. Officers deployed from the SAPS, Emergency Services, Border Management, Metro police departments, and other agencies paraded their capabilities.

The police have confirmed that the safety and security operational plan is already being enforced across various entrance and exit points across the province.

Speaking during the NATJOINTS briefing on Tuesday evening, Deputy National Commissioner for Policing and co-chairperson, Tebello Mosikili, reported that more than 3,500 newly trained police constables have been deployed across South Africa as part of heightened security measures for the leaders' summit.

Furthermore, Mosikili indicated that there will be specialised courts dedicated to those who seek to disrupt and cause chaos during the summit.

Addressing the troops directly on Wednesday, Masemola said all measures are in place to ensure the safety of delegates and heads of state. He urged the officers to treat any suspicion as grounds to act decisively against troublemakers.

"Our purpose is to make sure that the meeting of the heads of state and their delegates is at all times free... As such, make sure that when you deal with criminals, you are decisive, and if anyone does not comply with your instructions, you know who you are, but that person must not know who you are. There are proper processes, including facial recognition, and if this recognition says they can't enter, your job is to make sure that they do not enter," he stated.

Lesufi, who welcomed the troops, said months of planning have culminated in the province's preparedness for the global event, adding that no amount of sabotage will be allowed to prevail.

"We have prepared for us to rise to the occasion, but unfortunately, there those that do not want South Africans to be happy. Unfortunately, there are those dark forces that try extremely hard when the country is assigned a task, they want to take the country backwards," he said.

siyabonga.sithole@inl.co.za