Pretoria – Acting National Police Commissioner Puleng Dimpane says the R600 million allocated for policing ahead of the planned 30 June operations will be used to prevent violence and avoid large-scale destruction linked to past unrest.
According to SABC News, she said the funding will cover nationwide deployments, logistics, accommodation, and transport for officers drawn from different provinces, stressing that it is part of a coordinated effort to maintain stability.
“The country lost in the regime of R50 billion and we want to prevent that,” Dimpane said, adding that police have a constitutional duty “to ensure that we have stability in the country, protect the citizens and protect our economy.”
She said that the costs include supporting officers deployed across provinces, including travel and accommodation, as part of a broader preventative strategy rather than a single-day operation.
Meanwhile, Police Deputy Minister Polly Boshielo has instructed officers to adopt a proactive approach during the planned demonstrations, saying they must prevent violence before it escalates rather than only respond after incidents occur.
“Do not wait for the first stone to be thrown or the first shop to be looted,” Boshielo said, urging early intervention based on intelligence and engagement with community leaders to prevent unrest.
She added: “There will be no tolerance for vigilantism, no tolerance for xenophobic or any type of violence, no tolerance for intimidation and no tolerance for anyone who thinks they can decide who may or may not live in our communities”, Boshielo said.
She also emphasised that police must act within the Constitution, targeting instigators of violence and xenophobic attacks while ensuring lawful conduct by officers, with support for those who comply and consequences for misconduct.
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Compiled by Betha Madhomu
