Durban – South Africa’s police minister on Friday assured that several major events over the weekend would be “properly protected”, days after a US embassy warning of a possible terror attack in the country.
“This weekend we have… four major events. All are properly protected and (we) are properly prepared,” Police Minister Bheki Cele said in the eastern port city of Durban, which will host the official coronation of the Zulu king on Saturday.
He listed the Durban event, where President Cyril Ramaphosa will hand over a certificate of recognition to King MisuZulu Zulu; a Gay Pride march in the country’s financial hub of Johannesburg; a rugby match in the capital Pretoria; and a soccer derby in the Johannesburg township of Soweto.
“All that, we… are ready for. Even if there were no threats, (we) would still be prepared for it,” he said.
A separate government security statement said there were more than 500 events planned countrywide between October 28 and 30, necessitating “heightened police visibility” and operations.
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“All hands are on deck and all law enforcement agencies have joined forces to ensure that… those who live in this country are and feel safe,” said the statement.
The US embassy incensed South Africa on Wednesday when it posted the alert on its website and identified the potential target as Sandton, an upmarket suburb of Johannesburg.
President Cyril Ramaphosa said the warning was “unfortunate” and caused “panic” in the country.
Cele said he had seen no proof of any planned attack since the US warning.
“Up to this point, we do not have evidence on the table of the thing that has been said,” he said.
In the statement, the government discouraged people from “sharing misleading information on social media platforms about terror attacks to avoid creating unnecessary panic and alarm.”
Pretoria had initially appeared to downplay the alert, calling it “part of the US government’s standard communication to its citizens.”
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In Washington, State Department spokesman Ned Price praised security efforts both of South Africa and Nigeria, where the United States issued a separate security alert that led to the evacuation of families of US government personnel.
“We deeply appreciate efforts that they make to protect their interests and in turn our interests,” Price told reporters.
Price noted that the United States as a matter of policy sends out security alerts at the same time that it warns its own embassy personnel, considering it unfair not to provide the same information to private US citizens.
“We take our obligation to the so-called no double standard extraordinarily seriously,” Price said.
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Source: AFP
Picture: Twitter/@SANDILE_PANTHER
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