Issued by: The Ministry for Safety and Security
23 June 1997
We have learnt of plans to blockade major motorways on Tuesday morning, 24 June, as a protest against crime.
The South African government respects the rights of citizens to protest lawfully, and this right is a fundamental tenet of our democratic values as enshrined in our Constitution.
I wish to make it clear, however, that the Government cannot and will not tolerate unlawful protests that violate other people's rights to travel on public roads and earn their living without disruption. To my knowledge, no permit has been requested for the planned protest in terms of the Regulh a protest would violate several statutes, including the Road Traffic Act.
The South African Guild of Motoring who preports to be organising this protest, is bound to respect the laws of a democratic South Africa. Protests that take place outside the law will not only inconvenience and endanger the public. They will be counterproductive in creating conflict between law enforcement officials and the public, when in fact we all share the same goal of making our streets and communities safe.
I have instructed the South African Police Service to act firmly against any illegal blockades of roads in the same way that they would act against anyone who is in contempt of the law. In this regard, the SAPS will be working with the South African National Defence Force.
I wish to restate the government's determination to reduce the serious crime levels afflicting our people. We are pursuing an integrated programme of short-term and longer-term initiatives to control and prevent crime. Many of these initiatives depend upon the support and involvement of ordinary citizens through partnership such as Community Police Forums and Business Against Crime. Such community involvement is the cornerstone of the National Crime Prevention Strategy.
I challenge those who are justifiably upset over current crime levels to join the growing number of crime prevention partnerships if they genuinely want to contribute to the fight against crime - and not to make the problem worse through disruptive illegal protests.
Media inquiries: Thembi Mboisa, 011-339-2500