Acting police minister Firoz Cachalia turned the final G20 security parade into a national call-to-action, urging South African law enforcement officers to “show the world who we are” as the country steps on to the global stage to host the first G20 summit on African soil.
Addressing hundreds of officers from the SAPS, the SANDF, metro police and support agencies in Johannesburg on Wednesday, Cachalia said South Africans, and not only their security agencies, carry the responsibility of showing the world a united, capable democracy.
“The eyes of the world will be on us,” he said, emphasising that the first G20 summit on African soil places South Africa at the centre of global attention.
“They will be watching how we conduct ourselves. Not only our law enforcement agencies, but our citizens. They will see a country that is united, they will see what we have achieved in the last 30 years,” said Cachalia.
He said the declaration to be produced at the summit will influence global cooperation in the years ahead and that South Africa’s image now hangs on the conduct of both the security forces and the public.
“Those who have decided to stay away, the small number, will do so at their cost because over the next two days, indeed, South Africa is the centre of the world,” he said.
His comments came after Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi raised concerns about unexplained power outages affecting strategic institutions in recent days, calling them attempts by “dark forces” to disrupt preparations. Lesufi said authorities were prepared “for every eventuality”.
National police commissioner Fannie Masemola urged officers to enforce access control without exception and conduct their duties with “zest and dedication”.
“There is no if or but, if somebody is not supposed to enter a specific place, there is no ‘you know who I am?’” said Masemola.
Minister of justice and constitutional development Mmamoloko Kubayi commended law enforcement for delivering more than 120 events incident-free throughout the year. She appealed to the public to cooperate with temporary road closures and security restrictions “in the best interest of our country”.
Cachalia urged officers to carry the same coordination and excellence seen during major international events into ordinary policing.
“I would hope that the work we have shown we can do when we host the world, is the work that we can do every day to defend our people and strengthen our democracy,” said Cachalia.
TimesLIVE
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.