SA Police Step Up Security Measures Following Mossel Bay Unrest

Dimpane said investigators are pursuing all criminal leads and remain committed to bringing those responsible before the courts.

The South African Police Service (SAPS) has intensified operations in Mossel Bay and other parts of the country as authorities work to maintain public order following recent unrest and tensions linked to anti-immigration demonstrations. Acting National Police Commissioner Puleng Dimpane said law enforcement agencies have deployed the necessary resources to stabilise affected areas and ensure that criminal activity is dealt with swiftly.

The intervention follows the murder of teenager Nhlamulo Sambo, whose death sparked widespread speculation on social media. Initial claims suggested he had been targeted during protests against illegal migration. Police investigations, however, have found no evidence connecting his death to xenophobia, tribalism, anti-immigration demonstrations or his identity as a Tsonga-speaking South African.

Dimpane said investigators are pursuing all criminal leads and remain committed to bringing those responsible before the courts.

Government warns against violence and taking the law into private hands

Addressing a National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure (NATJOINTS) media briefing in Mossel Bay on Wednesday, Dimpane urged citizens to respect the law and conduct protests peacefully. She said public concerns and grievances should never be used to justify violence, intimidation, looting, destruction of property or attacks on individuals and communities. Authorities are concerned that criminal elements may exploit legitimate issues to fuel disorder and lawlessness.

NATJOINTS Chairperson Lieutenant General Tebello Mosikili assured South Africans that the government remains firmly in control of the security situation. She stressed that maintaining public order, enforcing the law and protecting communities are responsibilities reserved for authorised law enforcement agencies. Mosikili said no organisation, movement or individual has the authority to enforce immigration laws independently or target people based on nationality.

Thousands arrested for immigration offences and public violence

Law enforcement agencies have carried out a series of operations across the country in recent weeks. According to Mosikili, 166 people were arrested in the Free State for offences linked to public violence, while five suspects have been arrested in the Western Cape in connection with violence and intimidation. She also praised detectives for the rapid arrest of a suspect linked to Sambo's murder, describing it as evidence of law enforcement's commitment to tackling violent crime.

Police clarified once again that current evidence does not connect Sambo's killing to recent unrest in Mossel Bay. Authorities urged the public to avoid spreading unverified information while investigations continue. Mosikili revealed that more than 5,000 undocumented immigrants have been arrested for violating immigration laws over the past three weeks. Since January 2026, law enforcement agencies have arrested nearly 35,000 illegal immigrants nationwide, while more than 76,000 arrests were recorded during the previous financial year.

She said operations such as Operation Shanela continue to target illegal immigration, organised crime and cross-border criminal activities. Authorities warned that anyone involved in violence, vigilantism, intimidation or actions that threaten public stability will face the full force of the law.