BLOEMFONTEIN – The Free State will be open for business on Tuesday 30 June.

This is according to the Free State premier Maqueen Letsoha-Mathae on the anticipated nationwide protest. In a news conference on Monday in the O.R Tambo Building, she warned that law enforcement will not tolerate criminality, intimidation, violence and lawlessness.

The briefing follows the directives issued by president Cyril Ramaphosa and the Minister of Police to ensure the maintenance of law and order, stability and public safety during the national marched scheduled for 30 June.

The organizer of the march in the Mangaung Metro, Teboho Reginald Selelane, said the United Civic Organisations and the South African Union of Spaza Shops (SAUSS Free State) together with other organisations, promised the march will be peaceful.

“This march is officially registered and we submitted the names of marshalls that will help us to ensure an organised march,” Selelane said.

Letsoha-Mathae said the readiness of Law Enforcement does not only focus on 30 June, but operations on Monday have already started to look into the matter of illegal immigrants. Police targeted businesses in Douglas Street on Monday to check documents of businesses owners. “We found a huge problem is that of South Africans that goes into fake marriages with immigrants in order for them to have papers,” she said. “We urgently discourage South Africans not to contribute to the problem of immigrants getting false documents. People that goes into fake marriages are selling out South Africa,” she said.

Lt Gen Thabang Lesia, Provincial Commissioner of the SAPS said R20 million was budgeted for the police to provide support during this time. “Police that were on leave were called back to duty and we also have arial support to quickly respond if problems occur.”

The premier said all essential services, healthcare and municipal offices will be open on Tuesday.

Selelane said the march reflects on a historic march held 50 years ago when the government also failed its citizens. “We want the government to prioritise South Africans above undocumented foreigners who is negatively influencing the economic ecosystem in townships.”

He said some of the other matters that will be taken up with the premier, is service delivery failures by the metro. “This include recreation centres that are now dumping sites. We are marching on poor management of the metro.”

According to him there will be no looting, vigilantism and it will be a disciplined march on Tuesday. he is expecting between 500 and 1000 participants.

People taking part in the march by the United Civic Organisations and the South African Union of Spaza Shops will gather at Ramkraal on Dr Belcher Road at 10:00 to leave for the premier’s office at 11:00. The route includes Charlotte Maxeke Street, Aliwal Street and St Andrew’s Street to the OR Tambo Building where a memorandum will be handed over to the premier.