In the wake of the harrowing July 2021 social unrest that sent shockwaves across KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) and Gauteng, leaving destruction in its wake, Newcastillians and South Africans remain on alert as the second anniversary of the tragic events approaches.
During the violent upheaval, hundreds of looters lost their lives, and numerous businesses fell victim to looting and destruction, prompting communities to take measures to safeguard themselves from potential chaos.
Recent incidents of truck burnings along Van Reneens Pass and on the N11 near Ingogo have raised concerns that a resurgence of civil unrest could be looming, potentially affecting millions of South Africans.
While Police Minister Bheki Cele has stated that there is no direct link between the civil unrest and the burned trucks, questions linger about the preparedness of law enforcement for any potential future upheaval that may impact communities.
In response to these concerns, Newcastillian News reached out to both the Newcastle SAPS and Morne Potgieter of Ithemba Security, a company that played a pivotal role in protecting Newcastle during the tumultuous events of July 2021.
Potgieter disclosed, “We were all caught off guard during the last looting, and instinct kicked in as our management team brainstormed ideas to ensure this does not happen again. We equipped multiple officers with riot gear and provided exclusive riot control training to a specially selected squad to handle public unrest.”
Moreover, Ithemba Security has integrated air support into its portfolio to rapidly deploy members to affected areas.
“We have established links with multiple E2 registered security companies, maintaining constant communication to update each other on any problem areas,” Potgieter added.
In addition to these measures, Potgieter stressed that they have large armoured vehicle companies on standby, ready to deploy at a moment’s notice. They have also bolstered communication with the SAPS and strategically placed additional CCTV cameras to monitor high risk areas.
Acknowledging South Africa’s political instability, Potgieter admitted, “An unrest of that sort can flare up at any given time, and there are very few ways to predict such incidents.”
Nevertheless, Potgieter reassured the community that any future unrest would not find success among looters and other perpetrators.
“The SAPS, security companies, and communities have joined forces to prevent such lawlessness,” he declared.
Regarding the potential motivations of looters, Potgieter noted that many have faced severe consequences, including financial hardship and serious criminal charges, after the looting. These repercussions have made it challenging for them to find employment or retain their jobs.
He appealed to those considering participating in similar activities, cautioning, “It is not worth losing billions to satisfy evil needs. People should rather spend their time doing good, which will ultimately make South Africa a better place for us all.”
Despite efforts to obtain comments from Newcastle SAPS for this article, they were unavailable to respond at the time of publication.
As the nation reflects on the events of July 2021, it is important to remember that the SAPS, security companies and community groups are now well prepared unlike before and it is therefore, strongly advised to not try ignite any lawlessness for your own safety.
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