The police, South African National Defence Force (SANDF) and various other security and disaster management agencies started with a week-long Soccer World Cup training exercise in and around Bloemfontein on Monday.
Spokesperson Superintendent Vishnu Naidoo said ”Operation Shield” was aimed at honing security-related skills to ensure a safe environment in host cities.
This includes securing the national airspace and other strategic key points.
”Some of the most elite members and units within the security forces would engage in simulated scenarios and enact certain aspects of our emergency contingency plans in order to neutralise any form of airborne and land-borne threat,” Naidoo said in a statement.
The police units to be used during the exercise include the special task force, the national intervention unit, the national and provincial air wing, border line and ports of entry components, the emergency services as well as hostage negotiators and bomb disposal experts.
The SANDF would also deploy various personnel from the air force, the army and the navy with the necessary equipment and machinery.
Naidoo said the Civil Aviation Authority had already issued an Aeronautical Information Publication (AIP) which restricts flights within 40 nautical miles of the Bloemfontein airport. It however does not ban flights in the area.
With the exception of scheduled or state flights, all other aircraft wishing to enter into the stipulated airspace between August 4 and 9 2008 must conform to the restrictions.
This entails applying for permission at least 24 hours in advance, submitting a flight plan and being subjected to a vetting process.
Any aircraft entering the temporarily restricted airspace without the prescribed authority would be subjected to interception, interrogation and possible prosecution.
Naidoo said Bloemfontein residents would experience a great deal of security-force activity in the area with a number of uniformed people, vehicles and aircraft in and around the city and the airport.
”Our activities would be intensive between Monday [August 4] and Saturday [August 9] with aerial simulations both during the day and night.”
Naidoo urged the public in Bloemfontein to be patient as the exercise was essential. – Sapa