The authorities are working to verify the threat, and the government will issue an alert if need be, he said.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has criticised the US for failing to discuss a terror alert issued by the American Embassy with local authorities.
The embassy warned on Wednesday that one of South Africa’s wealthiest suburbs may be the target of an attack this weekend, and advised its staff members to avoid crowds of people and other large public gatherings. The UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office issued a travel warning echoing the US statement.
“It was quite unfortunate that the US government issued that type of warning without having had a deep-dive type of discussion with us,” Ramaphosa said Thursday at a briefing in the capital, Pretoria.
“It is unfortunate that another government should issue such a threat as to send panic among our people.”
The authorities are working to verify the threat, and the government will issue an alert if need be, he said.
US mission spokesman David Feldmann declined to comment further when contacted by phone.
The biggest gathering planned this weekend in Sandton is a Johannesburg Pride event to celebrate LGBTQ+ rights.
Organisers of the parade, which has previously drawn tens of thousands of people, plan to proceed with the gathering, Bloomberg reports.
“We have spent the last 24 hours assessing the situation, consulting with authorities, and managing the situation as a whole from a planning standpoint,” the organisers said in a statement. “We are confident that Johannesburg Pride march and celebrations can go ahead as planned thanks to our team, private security, and the authorities.”
South Africa has hosted Pride marches for more than three decades. The nation’s post-apartheid constitution was the first in the world to prohibit unfair discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, and it was the fifth country to legalise same-sex marriages.
Similarly, the US on Sunday said there was an elevated risk of terror attacks in Nigeria. SaharaReporters earlier reported that the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia have expressed similar fears and warned their citizens to stay alert.
The US Embassy on Sunday there was an elevated risk of terror attacks in Abuja, the Nigerian capital.
According to the warning, the attack would be especially aimed at government buildings, places of worship, schools and other centres where large crowds gather.
The United Kingdom government also warned its citizens in Nigeria to stay alert due to an "increased threat of terrorist attack in Abuja."
"Attacks could be indiscriminate and could affect western interests, as well as places visited by tourists," it said.
Canada in a fresh travel advisory urged its citizens to avoid non-essential travel to Nigeria, including in Abuja, due to the unpredictable security situation throughout the country.
“Avoid all travel to the following regions due to the risk of terrorism, armed attacks, kidnapping, intercommunal and sectarian violence,” the advisory read.
“The north-western states of Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Sokoto and Zamfara. The north-central state of Plateau. The north-eastern states of Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Jigawa and Yobe. The Niger Delta states of Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Bayelsa, Delta, Imo and Rivers (with the exception of Rivers’ capital city, Port Harcourt, where we advise against non-essential travel).
“Exercise a high degree of caution in the cities of Calabar and Lagos due to the incidence of crime.”
The Australian government also warned its citizens that there is an elevated risk of terror attacks in Nigeria, especially in Abuja.
“We now advise do not travel to Abuja due to the very high threat of terrorist attacks. If you're in Abuja, avoid all travel, stay alert and follow local news and the advice of security authorities,” the government said.
“Reconsider your need to travel to Nigeria overall due to high threats of terrorist attack and kidnapping, the volatile security situation, possible violent civil unrest and high levels of violent crime. Higher levels apply.”