According to a report via www.enca.com, the British government revealed – on 6 June, 2016 – that there is a high threat of possible attacks against foreigners in popular shopping areas within South Africa. The report revealed that the alert by the British government comes just days after a similar alert was issued by the United States embassy in Pretoria.
As revealed via ENCA, the British government said in a statement posted on its website that: “There is a high threat from terrorism. Attacks could be indiscriminate, including in places visited by foreigners such as shopping areas in Johannesburg and Cape Town.”
“There is considered to be a heightened threat of terrorist attack globally against UK interests and British nationals, from groups or individuals motivated by the conflict in Iraq and Syria. You should be vigilant at this time.”
In a separate report, via www.ewn.co.za, it has been revealed that malls located within Gauteng and Cape Town have increased security presence. South Africa’s foreign affairs department said, within the report, that the country’s security agencies were capable of ensuring the safety of its residents, noting that no incident or attack had taken place after the previous warning by the US embassy last year.
“The state security agency and other security agencies in this country are very much capable of keeping South Africa safe and everybody in this country, including Americans,” foreign affair’s ministry spokesman Clayson Monyela said.
Citizens from South Africa, America, and the United Kingdom have been requested to remain vigilant while visiting shopping centres across the country.
With news of possible terror attacks, Twitter has been set ablaze. Comments relating to the news can be found below:
Whether #USTerrorAlert is real or not – tourism will suffer… https://t.co/sIWaLVYiOQ
— 702 (@Radio702) June 6, 2016
I’m not going to joke about #USTerrorAlert
It was not funny when people died in Kenya, Nigeria, and Uganda
And it won’t be funny here.
— Patriot (@khule95) June 6, 2016
The security services of the country have liaised with the Americans on the concerns they have and engagements will continue #USTerrorAlert
— South African Gov (@GovernmentZA) June 6, 2016
Can South African security officials reaffirm our safety at the malls. #USTerrorAlert
— Thapelo (@mokhathi) June 4, 2016
Darryl Linington
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