Durban: Police in KwaZulu-Natal are reminding those who stage protests, plan, organise and or participate in marches that they must do so within the perimeters of the law. Police have manned several marches in Durban and other parts of the province which are mainly targeted on foreign nationals. There are also video clips circulating on social media showing acts of lawlessness during certain marches. According to South African Police Service, as much as it is a constitutional right to march, the rights of those marching must never infringe the rights of those who are not. No civilian has the right to search a fellow civilian and request or demand any form of identification. Only law enforcement officers are authorised to stop, search, and request individuals to produce documentations that permit them to be in the country. Police have also noted that several shops, owned by both South Africans and foreign nationals, have remained closed following threats of violence from certain individuals who were part of a march. Police wish to remind residents that intimidation can constitute a criminal offence and people must refrain from threatening others. Assaulting another person, whether a foreign national or not, is a criminal offence and police will not stand by and watch when the law is being broken. Public Order Police officers will continue to monitor marches, ensuring that there is stability, law and order. The management of police in KwaZulu-Natal will have a meeting with the organisers of the marches soon in order to have a common understanding and provide assistance and clarity where needed. It is illegal for a foreigner to be in the country without proper documentation, however, only mandated law enforcement officers can arrest undocumented foreign nationals and detain them pending deportation processes. Anyone who has information about illegal activities, whether committed by locals or foreign nationals, must tip-off the police so that the information can be operationalised. Doing the right things the wron g way, such as taking the law into someone's hands, can lead to unintended consequences of being in conflict with the law.
