DURBAN, KwaZulu-Natal — Heightened security at the 46th SADC Summit in Durban has led to the arrests of three foreign nationals following a series of accreditation breaches at the event’s primary venue.
The National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure (NATJOINTS) confirmed that the suspects were apprehended in separate incidents after allegedly attempting to circumvent strict access-control protocols at the Durban International Convention Centre (ICC).
According to authorities, two Congolese nationals were taken into custody on Saturday. Police allege the pair attempted to gain unauthorized entry to the summit venue by using accreditation badges issued to other individuals. They are currently facing multiple charges, including fraud, impersonation, and the contravention of security regulations relating to entering a designated area without authorization.
In a separate incident earlier in the week, a Zimbabwean national was arrested after allegedly attempting to secure summit credentials under the guise of being a performing artist.
Confirming the details of the security breaches, Brigadier Athlenda Mathe, the national police spokesperson, stated that the Zimbabwean suspect was arrested in an effort to gain illicit access to the summit venue. In addition to the accreditation fraud, Mathe noted that the individual also faces charges relating to being illegally present in the Republic of South Africa.
Beyond securing the venue against unauthorized access, law enforcement is also managing public demonstrations coinciding with the high-profile diplomatic event. NATJOINTS acknowledged that it is fully aware of planned marches and public gatherings scheduled in and around the city during the summit period. Comprehensive security and law enforcement plans have been deployed to manage these activities safely.
While authorities emphasize their respect for the constitutional right to peaceful and lawful protest, police have issued a stern warning to those participating in upcoming marches. Brigadier Mathe and NATJOINTS made it clear that there will be absolute zero tolerance for criminality, violence, intimidation, threats, or the destruction of property. Furthermore, any deliberate efforts to breach restricted areas or disrupt the proceedings of the SADC Summit will be met with swift law enforcement action.
Police have urged all demonstrators to conduct their activities peacefully as the region’s leaders continue their high-stakes engagements in Durban.