Public order police deployed to Nkandla as crowds gather in support of Zuma
KwaZulu-Natal police says there were not enough boots on the ground on Thursday to deal with the more than 300 people who pitched up at the Nkandla home of former president Jacob Zuma.
The large group of people are defying the level 4 lockdown regulations to show support to the beleaguered former president, who has been sentenced to 15 months in jail for contempt of court.
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Provincial police spokesperson Thembeka Mbhele says a decision has since been taken to deploy public order police.
“There are no people who are gathered there. Even this morning I was talking to the station commander who was there on the ground and there was no one there. There were over 3 000 people who were gathered there yesterday and the police that were there were not capacitated to deal with the crowd.
“That is why the public order policing was called to the area and even since yesterday police have been doing the patrols and have made sure that there is no one who comes near Zuma’s residence.”
Over 30 public order police officer have been deployed to monitor the situation near Zuma’s home.
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Various supporters began making their way to Nkandla following the Constitutional Court judgment whichg found the former president was in contempt of court.
This is after he defied summonses issued to him to appear before the commission of inquiry into state capture.
It’s expected that the uMkhonto Wesizwe Military Veterans Association (MKMVA) will on Friday afternoon host a press briefing outside Zuma’s home.
READ: MK Vets vow to form ‘human shield' around Nkandla to protect Zuma
The MKMVA is expected to set out the course of action that they plan to take following the decision by the Constitutional Court that Zuma should spend 15 months behind bars.
