Be kind, Cele tells officers ahead of SONA

He was giving the multidisciplinary parade of officers deployed at the Cape Town City Hall precint on Thursday.

There is high police presence in the Cape Town City Centre with heightened security on Darling Street.

President Ramaphosa is expected to deliver his fourth State of the Nation Address at 7pm.

Cele said the parliamentary fire caused panic and its the responsibility of the police to reassure citizens. 

"Today you will be around adopted parliamentary precint, we meet here before the President speaks to take our cue on how we will work. We need to make sure that the people of South Africa, who will be here today need to feel safde and protected." 

"Be kind," he said.

In conclusion, Cele was firm, he said the officers must not hesitate to enforce the law if anyone disrupts todays proceedings.

"If you order any form of war, be sure you will get that kind of response, we are not going to allow people to walk over us," he warned.