- Traffic has been free flowing in Gauteng amid threats of a national shutdown.
- Among the hotspots under watch in Gauteng are Alexandra, Soweto and the Johannesburg CBD.
- Gauteng Premier David Makhura said law enforcement agencies were on high alert for any acts of violence.
Gauteng Premier David Makhura has urged residents to report any suspicious activities to the police amid fears of unrest.
On Monday, Makhura assured residents that law enforcement agencies were on high alert to ensure the safety and security of the public amid threats of a national shutdown.
Although there were fears of renewed unrest in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng, the two provinces appeared to be free of disruptions on Monday morning.
Last month, the two provinces saw widespread looting and public violence that resulted in the deaths of more than 300 people.
The unrest happened in the wake of former president Jacob Zuma's incarceration.
Johannesburg Metro Police Department spokesperson Wayne Minnaar said traffic flow was normal in the city on Monday morning.
"Officers have been on high alert throughout the night to monitor the N1, N2, M3, N3, N17, malls and shopping centres," Minnaar said.
The N3 highway connecting Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal remains calm with free flowing traffic although law enforcement agencies remain on standby, the N3 Toll Concession said on Monday. | @Sesona_Ngqaks https://t.co/KhriWJztgv
— News24 (@News24) August 23, 2021
Meanwhile, the N3 toll route also remained calm with free-flowing traffic, the N3 Toll Concession said.
According to the concession's operations manager Thania Dhoogra, there were no reports of any disruptions to the flow of traffic on the N3 route between Cedera and Heidelberg in the morning.
The South African National Defence Force and other incident management services were also on high alert assisting law enforcement agencies.
Makhura said officers in Gauteng were ready to defend institutions and economic infrastructure.
"I call on the people of Gauteng to work with the police and Community Policing Forums to ensure that no acts of violence and criminality see the light of day in our communities," the premier said.
On Sunday, the National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure (NatJOINTS) sounded the alarm, saying it was aware of inflammatory messages on various social media platforms advocating for violence.
There needs to be co-ordinated policing and immediate communication if South African law enforcement agencies are to stop any further unrest. | @WitnessKZN https://t.co/L65wjETlUX
— News24 (@News24) August 23, 2021
Law abiding citizens should be at ease knowing that the NatJOINTS is not taking these threats lightly. Security forces are on high alert and ready to maintain stability in the country, and ensure the safety and security of South Africans. https://t.co/Ktl2XSa92E
— Lirandzu Themba (@LirandzuThemba) August 22, 2021
The structure warned that those behind these messages were inciting violence, which was a criminal offence.
Members of the public were cautioned against spreading these messages.
News24 reported earlier that, according to an operational plan issued by the police, more than 5 500 law enforcement officers and soldiers would be deployed on Gauteng streets due to the shutdown threats.
Looting hotspots in the province were identified as Alexandra, Hillbrow, Jeppe, Cleveland, the Johannesburg CBD, Diepsloot and Soweto.
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