Police arrest looters as nationwide June 30 protests remain largely peaceful

Police arrested several people linked to incidents of looting and attempted looting during nationwide marches on Tuesday, June 30, while the rest of the demonstrations remained largely peaceful, the Ministry of Police said.

Arrests and policing response

The ministry said the South African Police Service (SAPS) had made multiple arrests in connection with reported looting and attempted looting in parts of the country during the planned marches. It described policing operations as effective and said officers were on high alert with heightened deployments across the country to protect the public, businesses and critical infrastructure.

Orders to act against criminal conduct

Police were instructed to act swiftly against anyone involved in criminal activities, including looting, attempted looting, public violence, malicious damage to property, intimidation and other unlawful conduct, the ministry said.

Message from Acting Police Minister

Acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia urged protesters to exercise their constitutional rights responsibly and to keep demonstrations peaceful and lawful. He warned that those who exploit the marches to commit crimes would face legal consequences.

“We urge citizens to exercise their constitutional rights responsibly and to ensure that demonstrations remain peaceful and lawful. Those who choose to exploit the marches to commit criminal acts will face the full might of the law. Police will continue to identify, arrest, and prosecute all those responsible for criminal conduct,” Cachalia said.

Ongoing coverage

The ministry said police would continue operations to maintain law and order during the protests. Readers were directed to follow live updates for developments.