By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema promised that all essential services will be protected during the party’s national shutdown and said the EFF will ensure that workers have access to their work place.
Malema held a press briefing regarding the national shutdown.
He said the protest would continue, despite the DA’s legal challenge.
“We cannot fold our arms when the country is on the brink of collapse. The future generation is going to ask us what we had done when the country was faced with so many challenges – and the only thing we can do is raise our voices,” he said.
“Enough is enough that is why we took this decision to put our bodies on the streets. if they want to do anything let them do it on the 20th of March, we are not scared of them. We will defend the defenseless masses of our people with our bodies and our bodies will be on the streets, all of us.
“We want to reassure South Africans that this is a national shutdown calling on the resignation of the president and demand the end to load shedding and bring to light the issues that affect young people,” added Malema.
The protest is against everything going wrong in South Africa – however, Malema is headlining two key points: president Cyril Ramaphosa and load shedding.
At face value, the protest opposes Ramaphosa and will call for his resignation while demanding that electricity be restored to the country.
The EFF has homed in on Ramaphosa and the Phala Phala scandal as a lightning rod for all the ills the country faces. They accuse the president of presiding over a failing state, and for enabling corruption.
The party also blames the president and the ANC for the power crisis and the problems at Eskom.
The EFF nor any of the additional organisations joining the protest action have detailed any specific locations in the county which will be targeted – however, they have warned businesses and companies across the country to shut down for the day.
Who is taking part?
Along with the EFF, which is pushing for the shutdown, other groups have confirmed to be going along with the plan.
The South African Federation of Trade Unions (SAFTU) has submitted and had its ‘intention to protest’ approved by the National Economic Development and Labour Council (Nedlac) in terms of section 77.
SAFTU is the country’s second-largest union and has an estimated membership of roughly 800,000 workers.
Other groups that have signed on to take part in the shutdown include smaller political parties like the United Democratic Movement (UDM).
Public sector unions are currently striking over wage disputes across the country.
What is being done?
So far, very little information has made its way through official channels.
According to the SAPS, the National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure (NatJoints) is preparing for the day and has warned the EFF and joining protestors that criminality and violence won’t be tolerated.
However, aside from the City of Cape Town and the Western Cape, other major metros have initiated no proactive response.
The City of Cape Town has responded to the shutdown by filing an application for an interdict against any attempts to participate in disruptive behaviour. The city also intends to be fully open for business in all respects.
Meanwhile ANC general secretary Fikile Mbalula says that EFF was advocating for anarchy by trying to bring the country’s economy to a standstill.
“Shutdowns are not a solution to resolving people’s problems in a democracy,” said Mbalula.
“To call for the country to shutdown, we condemn that. You are organising anarchy and lawlessness in a democratic dispensation because you want to woo political support and plant the seed for an insurrection, political strike in the country, or – if you like – an [Arab] spring.”
Mbalula was speaking on Wednesday during a media briefing in Mamelodi, northeast of Tshwane, where the ANC launched what it called ‘the people march’.
The protest is expected to take place on Friday and is aimed at highlighting service delivery challenges in the City of Tshwane under the DA-led coalition.
Instead of calling for a national shutdown, Mbalula said the EFF should allow voters to have a say on Ramaphosa’s presidency and load shedding during next year’s much-anticipated general elections.
“Shutting down the economy that is ailing is rather overboard in terms of our democracy,” he said.
The ANC secretary-general added that the EFF will be held accountable should there be any loss of life or intimidation of citizens and business owners during their protests.