Security stepped up in Durban amid anti-illegal immigration protests and MTN8 final

Police are still on high alert for any anti-immigration protests in the Durban CBD on Saturday.

There was also a Dr. S.B. Radebe Foundation Health Walk that took place through the Durban CBD from King Dinizulu Park (Botha’s Garden) to Blue Lagoon Park. The Durban Metro police advised that there are large crowds of walkers and their supporters at the Blue Lagoon area. They are identifiable by blue T-shirts.

This contrasts with the sporadic protesters who have walked through the Durban CBD since Tuesday, shutting down businesses owned by foreign nationals from neighbouring African countries. It was also reported that it was calm outside the Home Affairs Refugee Reception Centre on Che Guevara Road. This has been the gathering point for the protesters.

Police on alert for protests

Police spokesperson Colonel Robert Netshiunda said that what unfolded is a crowd management situation.

“Police have a responsibility to preserve lives, to protect property, and at the same time strike a delicate balance between allowing people to exercise their constitutional right to march and enforcing the law,” he said.

The KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure (PROVJOINTS), comprising the South African Police Service, Durban Metro Police, Road Traffic Inspectorate and other law enforcement agencies, including private security, has put the necessary safety and security measures in place to ensure safety, peace and stability before, during and after the MTN8 Cup Final match between Orlando Pirates Football Club and Mamelodi Sundowns, which will be played at the Moses Mabhida Stadium on Saturday.

Football fans will be safe

Police said a comprehensive operation plan, which covers traffic management, stadium and fan park safety, as well as overall order and stability, has already been set in motion. KwaZulu-Natal #PROVJOINTS wishes to assure football lovers that the city of Durban and the surrounding areas are safe and that the match will take place in a safe and secure environment.

The PROVJOINTS has noted misleading social media posts that seek to cause panic and confusion by spreading malicious misinformation concerning the staging of the match. The management of the police, through the Event #SafetyandSecurity Planning Committee (ESSPC) and PROVJOINTS, has assured the Premier Soccer League that security planning for the 2026 MTN8 Cup Final will remain intact and that anyone who attempts to breach security protocols or endanger spectators, officials, players and any other role player will be met with the full force of the law.

zainul.dawood@iol.co.za

IOL