Residents requested to avoid vicinity of Brackenfell High School on Friday

17 November 2020

The City of Cape Town and South African Police Services (SAPS) have requested all residents and groupings – except parents bringing their children to school - to avoid the area around Brackenfell High School on Friday.

Avoiding the area will make it easier for SAPS to manage the planned protest effectively. The permit is limited to the participation of 100 EFF members who have undertaken not to disrupt learners or matric exams, which has been accepted by Western Cape High Court Judge Siraj Desai as sufficient for the protest to go ahead in terms of his ruling.

The SAPS have committed to a policing presence in the Brackenfell area on Friday. During a community meeting this week, it was reported that a comprehensive operational plan has been settled between SAPS, Metro Police, Law Enforcement and Traffic along with the relevant Community Policing Forums (CPFs) and Neighbourhood Watches (NHW).

SAPS’ Public Order Policing plan includes the setting of perimeters around the school and crowd management to protect learners, teachers and school property. The perimeter will assist in terms of avoiding unnecessary conflict and to ensure that only the number of people authorised to participate in the protest are allowed to hand over a memorandum.

As with other large protests, the SAPS and Metro Police video units will be present to record the events and incidents, to assist SAPS in the prosecutions of any persons involved in public violence.

It is critical that there are no attempts at escalating conflict by any residents or groupings. Do not go to the vicinity, unless you are a parent bringing a learner to school. Parents are asked to adhere to requests communicated by the school pertaining to safety arrangements for Friday.

Community NHW and CPF structures have been invited to play a constructive role in incident command on the day, which will be coordinated via a mobile joint operations centre (JOC).

Any resident wishing to report emergencies that may arise during the protest can alert the City Emergency Communications Centre on 107 from a landline or 0214807700 from a cellphone.

Issued by Rhynhardt Bresler on behalf of City of Cape Town, 17 November 2020