KwaZulu-Natal Neighbourhood Watches and Community Policing Forums (CPF) have been on high alert since the announcement of the 2024 national election results on Sunday. However, there were no overnight incidents to report.
Shortly after 11pm, a crowd had gathered at Hammarsdale Mall, alarming residents and local crime-fighting organisations.
However, Hammarsdale CPF public relations officer, Etienne Olivier said the South African Police Service (SAPS), private security companies and other law enforcement units had the situation under control and continued to patrol the area during the night.
Police and private security companies feared a repeat of the 2021 July riots when former president Jacob Zuma’s supporters went on a rampage when he was incarcerated. Zuma and supporters of his newly-formed uMkhonto weSizwe Party are disgruntled over the election results and have accused the Independent Electoral Commission of rigging the numbers.
Ahead of the announcement of the results, the Justice, Crime Prevention and Security (JCPS) Cluster warned it was ready to deal with any threats of instability.
“As the Security Cluster, we assure South Africans that law enforcement agencies stand ready to maintain peace and stability, as they have done throughout the election period.
“Any attempt to undermine the authority of the State and South Africa’s constitutional order will not be tolerated and will be dealt with accordingly,” said police minister Bheki Cele.
Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni said no one was exempt from the law.
“Anybody who threatens the security or the stability of the country, anybody who wants to undermine the constitutional order of the country, irrespective of who they are, the law enforcement will have to deal with them.”
Meanwhile a man, who allegedly shot dead two CPF members in Inanda, north of Durban, was killed in a shootout with police on Monday morning.
The man allegedly opened fire on officers when he was cornered.