The EFF national shutdown protest on Monday resulted in the arrest of more than 550 individuals on charges such as public violence, intimidation, damage to critical infrastructure, theft, and attempted looting, according to police spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe.
The highest number of arrests occurred in Gauteng, with 149 individuals taken into custody, followed by the Northern Cape with 95, the Eastern Cape with 80, and the Free State with 64.
The police also seized 24,300 strategically placed tyres intended for criminal activities.
The arrests were made through integrated law enforcement deployments, with support from the defence force, private security groups, community policing forms, and neighbourhood watches.
The government deemed the EFF protest, which aimed to compel the resignation of President Cyril Ramaphosa, a failure.
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The protest occurred mainly in Pretoria, where 2,000 to 2,500 protesters congregated at Church Square before marching to Ramaphosa’s official residence, Mahlamba Ndlopfu.
Smaller demonstrations were scattered throughout the country, with some turning violent.
“The National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure expressed satisfaction with the peaceful and orderly protest in Pretoria while also stating that law enforcement agencies would continue to monitor the situation closely,” said Mathe.
