Police around the country are bracing themselves amid threats of a national shutdown on Friday.
According to News24, officers have been deployed to step in and prevent any form of criminality.
Social media has been flooded with news of the shutdown with a variety of issues being voiced via various platforms. These include corruption, high cost of living, fuel costs, and gender-based violence.
The police acknowledged via a statement the messages and posters which were “circulating on various social media platforms calling for a national shutdown.”
“Those behind these messages are warned and reminded that prohibiting people’s freedom of movement is a criminal offence. Members of the public are therefore cautioned against spreading such messages that seek to mobilise communities to respond to the shutdown,” warned national police spokesperson Colonel Athlenda Mathe.
Measures have been put in place to ensure the safety of the public in the event of a mass protest, said The National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure (NatJoints).
A close eye is being kept on the situation by the intelligence community, as well as the associated risks that come with a national shutdown.
NatJoints warned that any action taken to break the law will be dealt with, as per EWN.
Cosatu and taxi associations have reportedly distanced themselves from the alleged national shutdown, indicating that its members would not be taking part.
Also read:
Picture: Twitter