The largest post-apartheid security operation for a court case is to get underway in Pretoria next week when 23 alleged members of the right-wing Boeremag organisation go on trial for high treason.
Security measures would include strict access control to Church Square, which houses the trial venue — the Palace of Justice, regular bomb sweeps and random body searches, police and justice officials said in Pretoria on Thursday.
All entry routes to the square would be closed to motor vehicles and no parking would initially be allowed, said Tshwane metro police representative Mel Vosloo. The latter restriction would be reviewed as the trial progressed.
The operation would involve members of the police’s public order policing, crime prevention, and intervention units, the special task force, the metro police, and security officials from the justice department.
Air support would also be deployed, said deputy national police commissioner Andre Pruis.
A joint operations centre would be set up at the court to co-ordinate the operation.
”In terms of direct involvement, it is the largest deployment in the history of the SA Police Service,” Pruis told reporters.
He said security would be handled in the same manner as that for big events hosted by South Africa like the World Summit on Sustainable Development last year and the World Conference Against Racism in 2001.
The judge and his two assessors, the prosecutors and investigators would also be protected. The police would oppose the holding of any marches or pickets close to Church Square.
”We have contingency plans in place for any eventuality,” Pruis said. ”We have a long list of possible threats or risks we are planning for. But there is at this stage no intelligence of any possible attacks.”
He added investigations continued.
”I wouldn’t say the right-wing threat has been totally neutralised.”
But no threats had been received for ”some time”.
Vosloo urged Pretoria motorists to give way for high-speed police convoys transporting the men from prison to the court every day.
Hawkers on Church Square would also be affected by the trial. Only those with formal licences would be allowed to conduct business.
Court security head Gerhardus van Vollenhoven said no firearms, sharp objects, parcels, cameras or electrical equipment would be allowed into the court.
Even the briefcases of advocates and attorneys would be searched. Only 120 people would be allowed into the public area every day. The security arrangements would remain in place for the duration of the trial — which some have predicted could last several years.
National Directorate of Public Prosecutions representative Sipho Ngwema said the State was ready to get the trial underway on Monday.
However, there may be some delays on the part of the accused, some of whom had only recently obtained legal aid. Some of the men had objected to the court’s jurisdiction over the matter, but Ngwema said the prosecution was ready to contest
that point. – Sapa