SAPS
Not a single person was arrested at Nkandla on Sunday where hundreds of supporters of former president Jacob Zuma descended at his homestead in Northern KwaZulu Natal.
The National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure (NatJOINTS) on Sunday enhanced operational capacity in KZB amid the disregard for COVID-19 Adjusted Alert Level 4 regulations.
Police Minister Bheki Cele said they made no arrests despite having a contingent of at least 200 police officials and members of the Special Forces, deployed to the area.
He said they received information about at least 100 members of the public who were armed and mingling amongst other pro-Zuma supporters.
“Those people even tried to provoke police, taking out their guns and shooting in the air,” Cele said.
The Minister congratulated the police on their response as there were many women and children present.
He said police decided to retreat and absorb other insults thrown at them to prevent bloodshed, which could have been the result if they had acted recklessly and retaliated with gunfire.
Cele said, “Members were scared as we have referral points such as Marikana”.
“To say we did nothing is wrong,” he said.
Cele said 20 SAPS cameras were set up in and around Nkandla, and its data, once analysed, will be used to make arrests of especially those who acted irresponsibly by firing gunshots into the open air.
He also said the Ministry was initially given until midnight on Wednesday to arrest Zuma if he did not hand himself over by Sunday to start his 15-month prison sentence after being found guilty of contempt of court by the Constitutional Court last week.
Cele, however, said they now await clarity on the matter as Zuma has since launched a bid against the sentence to avoid going to jail which will be heard on virtually on Tuesday.
Cele was speaking at Orlando Stadium in Soweto in Johannesburg on Monday, where he launched the SAPS vaccination drive.
