Policing forums brace for unrest

COMMUNITY Policing Forums (CPFs), which serve as the eyes and ears on the ground and a bridge between the communities and the SAPS across South Africa, are ready to support the police and other lawful authorities ahead of the June 30 deadline set by anti-illegal immigration groups for illegal immigrants to leave the country.

There have been concerns from the business community and the public that the planned peaceful shutdown could be hijacked by criminal elements who might loot, causing a repeat of the 2021 July unrest, which resulted in infrastructure destruction, looting, torching of businesses, and the deaths of hundreds of people.

CPF Boards in KwaZulu-Natal, Gauteng, and the Western Cape have called for calm among all residents and encouraged their members to prioritise their safety first. The boards remain tight-lipped about their safety plans, citing that any disclosure would undermine the purpose.

Mninwa Thokozani Jacob Masilela “TJ” Masilela, chairperson of the Gauteng CPF Board, said that CPFs exist to strengthen the partnership between communities and the SAPS, and “our” role ahead of any period of heightened risk is to support the SAPS and the lawful authorities, not to substitute for them.

“In the interest of community safety, you will appreciate that we cannot disclose operational details. This includes specific intelligence, early warning, deployment, or coordination arrangements. Publicising such detail would undermine the very safety measures the public relies on and could place volunteers and community members at risk,” Masilela said.

He said that CPF members and patrollers were volunteers, not law enforcement officers; as such, they do not confront crowds, intervene physically, make arrests, or attempt to police protests or looting. “If a group attempts to forcibly close or loot any business, the explicit directive to every volunteer is to prioritise their own safety and that of the community, avoid any confrontation, withdraw from danger, and report immediately to the SAPS, who are the mandated authority to respond. Their role is strictly to observe, to report, and to support the police lawfully. Anyone who places themselves in physical danger or acts outside the law does not do so with the Board’s sanction.”

Masilela stated that the Board and its structures maintain secure, dedicated channels with law enforcement through which credible community information can be passed to the SAPS responsibly and lawfully.

“For obvious reasons, we will not describe how those channels operate or what they handle, because doing so would defeat their purpose. The principle is simply this. The community’s role is to be alert and to report; the Board’s role is to ensure that information reaches the SAPS through proper channels, and the investigative and intelligence work itself rests entirely with the SAPS.”

He urged all residents to remain calm, to act lawfully, and to report any threat to safety to the SAPS without delay.

Rafique Foflonker, Western Cape CPF Board spokesperson, said that CPFs and all civilian safety structures are encouraged to follow established reporting protocols by immediately notifying the SAPS and Municipal Law Enforcement agencies, where applicable, of any suspicious behaviour, signs of potential unrest, riotous activity, or imminent threats to public safety.

He encouraged CPFs to co-ordinate their activities closely with their local SAPS partners and relevant stakeholders within their respective precincts. “Risk assessments and operational planning remain the responsibility of the SAPS. CPFs continue to support efforts aimed at strengthening communication and community preparedness through established partnership structures. The responsibility for intervention in situations involving public disorder, violence, or criminal activity rests with police authorities.”

He also encouraged CPFs and other civilian safety structures not to place themselves in situations that may endanger their members. “De-escalation remains best practice wherever possible; however, CPF members are encouraged to prioritise their own safety and to assist by reporting incidents promptly and maintaining communication with SAPS and relevant authorities,” Foflonker said.

He highlighted that several CPF members have received basic training through the African Policing Civilian Oversight Forum in conflict resolution and mediation, as well as understanding the phenomenon of immigration and xenophobia.

“Through ongoing engagement with the SAPS, community leaders, private security partners, business forums, and civil society stakeholders, CPFs are working to encourage calm, address concerns, and ensure that all residents feel safe and supported. The focus remains on preventing conflict, strengthening community relationships, and ensuring that any criminal conduct is addressed through lawful and appropriate channels,” Foflonker said.

Sambulo Biyela, secretary general of the KwaZulu-Natal CPF Board, said that everyone should act responsibly by giving information to the SAPS should anything suspicious arise. “The CPF Board has always called all its members to be the eyes and ears of the police on the ground, and not be in the forefront of moving the crowds because that is the role of the SAPS.”

He added that in some instances, they have noticed that some criminal elements see an opportunity to loot during demonstrations. “Many criminal activities have been traced, and we have seen people getting hurt in the process,” Biyela said.

KwaZulu-Natal Premier Thamsanqa Ntuli is expected to hold a summit on illegal immigration on June 25.

A recent media briefing by the Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC) on Migration detailed the state’s roll-out of a five-point strategy to manage irregular migration and tighten border controls.

Mmamoloko Kubayi, the Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development, held a briefing, following a nationwide address by President Cyril Ramaphosa, and responded to rising public friction and anti-migrant protests.

She said that law enforcement operations across the country have resulted in the arrest of more than 40,000 illegal immigrants since January 2026.