By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Government’s security cluster says that there will be no national shutdown on Monday and the army, crime intelligence, police forces, and private security companies are joining together to counter any illegal activity during the planned action.
Despite the Economic Freedom Fighters’ (EFF) attempts to rally South Africans at large to its cause – and various safety and security authorities rising to meet the challenge – businesses will remain open and economic activities will continue.
Officials and authorities, including president Cyril Ramaphosa, said that violence and illegality during the protest would not be tolerated. The opposition party, the Democratic Alliance, has been granted an interdict against the EFF over the protests, forcing the latter to stick to the rule of law while in the streets.
The national joint operational and intelligence structure (Natjoints) said plainly that there would be no national shutdown.
“There will be no national shutdown. We know of a planned protest. To say there will be a national shutdown is misleading,” said Natjoints chair deputy national police commissioner Tebello Mosikili.
“Everything from business to services will be fully functional and operational and accessible. We are not going to allow lawlessness and acts of criminality. Those who are found to be on the wrong side of the law will be dealt with accordingly.”
The EFF says it will continue, undeterred.
While the party has tried to pre-empt any blame for violence and illegality being pinned on its members by assuring its movement will be going out into the streets peacefully, no one is convinced.
Statements from EFF leader Julius Malema have been decidedly antagonistic, with police minister Bheki Cele calling it “war talk”.
Cele has emphasised that the planned response to the protest is to keep the peace.
“The SAPS will be out in full force on the ground and in the air to enforce the law and ensure that the protest is peaceful. All the police have been recalled, they are here and we are working with other law enforcement. We are working with the taxi associations, NGOs and everybody.
“Those that will be here on the 20th will find us on the road. We will saturate the roads and key points,” he said.
Malema has characterised the response from the state towards the protest as “threats and intimidation” – but in the same breath, is calling for revolution, saying it cannot be stopped.
The EFF wants Ramaphosa to resign and load shedding to end. It is also protesting anything else that could draw an emotional response from South Africans, such as high levels of unemployment, a rising cost of living, a lack of free tertiary education, corruption, gender-based violence and poor education.