By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema says this weekend was the last chance to mobilise support before the national shutdown on Monday.
Malema was speaking at the Orlando Communal Hall in Soweto on Friday evening,17 March 2023.
Monday’s protests are against the ongoing load shedding crisis and the socio-economic issues many are facing. The EFF wants President Cyril Ramaphosa to resign.
“Those who are not scared of Ramaphosa will show up on Monday. There is no water. The infrastructure has collapsed, and very soon, they will not be able to give us water,” he said.
Malema also called Ramaphosa a criminal president who had violated his oath of office in reference to the Phala Phala scandal.
“We don’t want Ramaphosa because most of our streets have been taken over by drug lords and criminals that are in bed with the generals of the police.”
The EFF leader said the economy has collapsed, He referred to the recent grey-listing of the country and the constant load shedding and its effects on small businesses.
He also addressed the social media posts doing the rounds that show alleged EFF members posing with tyres, which could be used to block roads on the day of the protest.
“I saw some of you posing with tyres. You think you are being revolutionary, but you are exposing us to the enemy.
“Why are you exposing tools of trade? Why are you exposing essential issues? Those things are very important issues that you don’t share with anyone.
“That thing you are showing on WhatsApp and social media is a business plan. You can’t share your business plan with other people.
“Do not show such things. We don’t want to know what you are going to do. Don’t talk about it on the phones – they are listening to our phones.
“Don’t write about it on SMS and WhatsApp. Don’t talk about it on social media. Person to person, attack. They will never see us coming,” said the EFF leader.
“They will decide what they want to do, we are not scared of them. Whether death is calling, death will find us ready, whether prison is calling, prison will find us ready, whether torture is coming, torture will find us ready. “
Meanwhile the National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure (Natjoints) briefed the media on Friday about security measures ahead of the protest action, saying it would respond to eventualities because “every corner of SA” is a hot spot for criminality.
“Every corner of SA is a hotspot, and all the provinces are targeted. We have mobilised everywhere, and all the provinces are hard at work. All routes are a priority. We will respond accordingly to any highway that is under threat. Everybody will be protected and saved from the anarchy that might prevail,” said deputy national police commissioner Tebello Mosikili.
Mosikili said that while community-based crime-fighting structures were not expected to assume policing-related roles, she urged them to report any suspicious and unlawful activities.
“They are not expected to take any action that is police related. However, as our partners, they are our eyes and ears to report any wrongdoing [so that] the police can respond,” she said.
Mosikili said that while Natjoints acknowledged the constitutional right to demonstrate, law enforcement would arrest anyone who broke the law.
Watch Live in the video below:
Video Courtesy of EFFSA.