The Democratic Alliance (DA) has applied for an urgent court interdict against the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF’s) planned shutdown on Monday 20 March and asked for the party’s leadership to be held accountable should there be any casualties or damages to property during their programme of action.
The EFF Spokesperson Leigh-Ann Mathys hit back at the DA and labelled the party’s legal action as ‘frivolous’.
“None of the stakeholders who will be taking part in the march, the EFF included, have expressed any intention to commit any criminality or violence.
“The DA is creating false alarm because it relies on the logic that black people demonstrating against the conditions which they are forced to live in poses a threat to the status quo.” she said.
Entities that will be backing EFF in the picket lines include The South African Federation of Trade Unions (Saftu), The Pan Africanist Congress of Azania and The Land party.
The protest is a call on President Cyril Ramaphosa to resign and for loadshedding to come to an end. In a video posted on the party’s twitter page EFF leader, Julius Malema urged those who are tired of the current leadership to heed the party’s call to take to the streets.
“Now is the time to take action. We all have to occupy the streets of South Africa. Wherever you are, make your voice be heard. Enough is enough,” he said.
The DA leader John Steenhuisen said they are ill at ease over the impact this action is likely to have on the livelihoods of the people of South Africa.
“The DA takes the EFF’s threats seriously. We will not sit back and allow the EFF to threaten businesses and lives’ he said while he expressed concerns over public statements and social media posts by the EFF leaders and their supporters.
“We are deeply concerned by the intimidatory tactics being employed by members of the EFF, who are threatening consequences for any business that dares to open and trade on the day and for any adult or child who dares to go to work or school that day,” he added.
Steenhuizen said steps taken to oppose the EFF’s planned protest action include among others, calling on the Minister of Police, Bheki Cele to issue a strong statement against the National Shutdown and to guarantee that the SAPS will be on standby to respond to violence.
The DA also said it has a drafted template of an affidavit that can be used by any business owner who has been intimidated by the EFF representatives,
The party has also written to President Cyril Ramaphosa requesting him to issue a stern warning against violence and vandalism.
The Mayor of the City of Cape Town, Geordin Hill-Lewis said the city intends to be on full operation on the day, and highlighted that the metro is not against this shutdown, however it is trying to mitigate its impact on its residents.
According to the SAPS, the National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure (NatJoints) will be hard at work on Monday.
