A poster making the rounds on social media is warning Cape Town residents of possibly incidents of violence and unrest similar to what is happening in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng. The City of Cape Town has warned residents not to share this disinformation as there is no indication of of similar incidents.
In response to widespread violence in other provinces, the City is working on an operational plan to mitigate the risk of such public unrest.
The poster, shared widely, warned of a shutdown protest in the city.
In a statement, Mayor Dan Plato appealed to the public to stop spreading fake news regarding false reports of public violence in Cape Town, which is based on old videos.
“This is making it difficult for law enforcement to adequately respond to safety incidents. We all need to work together to ensure our city remains safe and the sharing of outdated videos, pictures and unconfirmed reports has the potential to leave communities vulnerable by unnecessarily diverting resources where it is needed most,” said Plato.
Some malls have been closed as a precautionary measure, although there is no imminent threat at this point.
“There was some panic caused earlier today when police responded to an incident of theft at a mall in Mitchell’s Plain. Some people started running in panic, and these images started circulating on social media. There was no looting or violence, and police arrested the suspects,” said the City. These incidents are causing unnecessary panic and are fuelled by fake messages.
The City said they acknowledge that there is a growing sense of anxiety among residents who fear that the violence could spill over into Cape Town.
“It is important to state upfront, that the South African Police Service is responsible for public order policing. However, the City’s enforcement agencies work in support of SAPS at all times, with operational responsibilities coordinated via the Provincial Joint Operations Centre. In the past 24 hours, a number of engagements have taken place to compile operational contingencies should these be required,” said Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security, JP Smith.
While we cannot disclose specific details, the City would like to inform the public that:
- A list of potential targets has been compiled, to ensure regular patrols in these areas
- All Area Chiefs across our Metro Police, Law Enforcement and Traffic Service have been tasked with drafting integrated deployment plans in areas that could potentially be targeted
- Staff on rest days will be activated to ensure as many resources on the ground as possible
- Staff will be activated after hours, if need be
- Redeployment of staff from other areas or functions will be considered/implemented if need be
- CCTV surveillance will be used to capture any incidents, to identify any suspects and to help mobilise ground forces.
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