Threat to the country remains present and real, says Ramaphosa

Tarryn-Leigh Solomons

While calm has returned to most of Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal, President Cyril Ramaphosa says the threat to the country and to the democracy remained present and real.

“Those responsible for organising this campaign of violence and destruction have not yet been apprehended and their networks have not yet been dismantled.

“We must therefore remain vigilant and resist any efforts to incite further violence,” he said during his address to the nation on Friday night.

The president called on communities across the country to work with the police through community policing forums.

“No person should take the law into their own hands.

“We must guard against vigilantism and anything that could inflame tensions further.

“We call on all South Africans to encourage calm and restraint, to desist from sharing false information, and to report any incidents of violence to the police immediately,” Ramaphosa said.

With the Mandela Day commemoration tomorrow, Ramaphosa said the country should use the day to provide food to the most vulnerable in society, to clean up the streets and to start the task of rebuilding.

“While security forces are essential to restoring order and stability, this assault on our democracy will ultimately fail because the people of South Africa will not allow it.

“If we stand together, no insurrection or violence in this country will succeed. We are engaged in a struggle to defend our democracy, our Constitution, our livelihoods and our safety.

“This is not a battle that we can afford to lose.

“When we look back on this moment in our history, let us say that we faced down a grave threat and defeated it together.

“Let us bear witness to the strength and endurance of our democracy, not its downfall,” the president said.