South Africa arrests more than 900 after nationwide protests

South African authorities said more than 900 people were arrested in connection with nationwide demonstrations held on June 30, with police reporting that the vast majority of the protests remained peaceful despite isolated incidents of looting and public violence.

During a media briefing held at the National Command Centre at the SAPS Tshwane Academy, Lieutenant General Tebello Mosikili, co-chairperson of the National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure (NATJOINTS), thanked South Africans for exercising their constitutional right to protest peacefully.

"South Africans exercised their constitutional right, and the overwhelming majority did so peacefully, responsibly and within the framework of the prescribed laws," Mosikili said.

According to NATJOINTS, there were 120 planned marches across the country, while law enforcement agencies monitored more than 300 crowd management incidents, including smaller gatherings and demonstrations.

Of the 120 marches, 108 concluded peacefully, while police intervened in only 12 due to unrest.

Authorities said reinforcement teams were deployed to Gauteng, the Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, the Free State and the Western Cape after isolated incidents of looting and criminal activity were reported.

Mosikili said police acted swiftly to restore order.

"While the vast majority of demonstrations remained peaceful, there were individuals who sought to exploit yesterday's events to commit criminal acts. Our members responded swiftly wherever incidents of looting, robbery, public violence and other criminal activities emerged," she said.

Police said more than 900 people were arrested during the operations. According to authorities, many of those arrested were undocumented foreign nationals detained during law enforcement operations conducted alongside the protests. Others were arrested on charges including public violence, business robbery targeting spaza shops, looting and harbouring undocumented immigrants.

A provincial breakdown released by NATJOINTS showed the Eastern Cape recorded the highest number of marches, with 28 peaceful protests and two incidents of unrest. KwaZulu-Natal hosted 21 peaceful marches and two unrest-related incidents, while Gauteng recorded 12 peaceful marches and one incident requiring intervention. The Western Cape saw six peaceful demonstrations and four unrest-related incidents.

Mosikili praised the organizers of the protests, community leaders, and security agencies for their role in maintaining order during the demonstrations.

"The actions of isolated criminal elements did not undermine the overall stability of the country. Our operational readiness ensured that law and order were maintained throughout the operations," she said.

Authorities said law enforcement agencies remain on high alert and continue monitoring affected areas following the demonstrations.