Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen.

We stand before you today at a time when our country is confronted by growing tensions in certain communities, including the recent incidents in Mossel Bay that have tragically claimed lives and left families grieving.

On behalf of the South African Police Service, I wish to extend our deepest condolences to the families and loved ones of those who lost their lives. No grievance, frustration or disagreement can ever justify violence, intimidation, destruction of property, or the taking of human life.

The South African Police Service has deployed the necessary resources to affected areas and has intensified operations to restore and maintain law and order. We are actively investigating all criminal acts related to these incidents, and those responsible will be identified, arrested and brought before the courts.

I urge everyone in the country to respect the laws of this country and If you choose to march, do so peacefully, lawfully and with respect for the rights of others. No grievance, no matter how strongly felt, justifies violence, intimidation, assault, the destruction of property, looting, or threats against any person or community. We cannot allow criminal elements to hijack legitimate concerns and turn them into acts of lawlessness.

The National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure (NATJOINTS) will provide a comprehensive update on the security situation, ongoing interventions, operational deployments and measures being implemented to safeguard all people living in South Africa.

I now invite the Chairperson of NATJOINTS to provide a detailed briefing.

I thank you!