POLOKWANE – Police spokesperson Colonel Moatshe Ngoepe says for a protest to be considered legal the organisers of the protest need to submit an application form to the local municipality wherein they plan on protesting.
After the form has been submitted, the local municipality will convene a section 4 meeting with the relevant security cluster stakeholders, and the applicant. This includes the fire brigade, emergency services, saps and traffic department. The purpose of the meeting is to decide on factors that are vital in the legal execution of the protest. These factors include the date of proposed protest, route of the protest, and expected number of protestors.
After the information has been submitted and agreed upon by all the stakeholders it will be forwarded to the office of the municipal manager for approval. This process needs to be done at least 6 working days before the event, to ensure cluster will be available on the day of the protest to ensure the safety of all residents and the smooth flow of traffic.
Spokesperson for the Polokwane Municipality Thipa Selala says it is a criminal offence to convene an illegal protest and the municipality is available to help with the notice and getting the security cluster ready.
