While it is still unclear whether the EFF-organised national shutdown was a success or not, the ANC has issued a statement expressing its gratitude to all South Africans who did not join the ‘extremist and regressive so-called planned to take place on March 20.
The statement which came out a few hours ago, says in South Africa there is no place for vigilantism and forceful removal of an incumbent government.
“The ANC is fully committed to doing what the people of South Africa expect, demand and deserve.
The ANC acknowledges that everyone has the right to protest, and in line with the rule of law all protest action must be lawful. According to the bill of rights enshrined in our Constitution, no person or grouping may engage in an illegal protest action or impose their protest action on everyone who does not support it,” read the statement.
The government deployed the whole police force and army into different parts of South Africa in anticipation that the planned marches would turn violent. Police Minister Bheki Cele earlier reported that the police have removed thousands of tyres on the road that he alleged were going to be used to disrupt traffic and barricade roads. Several people were also arrested.
Reports around the country show that the protests have been fairly peaceful except for sporadic incidents where police fired teargas at marchers in the Joburg CBD. And police in the North West reported the arrest of unruly demonstrators
However, large crowds are still out there and especially in the Pretoria CBD where the EFF has been joined by other political parties including the ATM as it marches in protest against load shedding and calling on President Cyril Ramaphosa to step down.
Earlier a video circulating on social media showed a taxi driver at one of the biggest Joburg taxi ranks, the Chris Hani Baragwanath Taxi rank, saying business has been slow in the morning with the usual hustle and bustle of commuters missing from the scene.
The M1 North and South around Joburg also had fewer cars than usual this morning with no incidents reported. It is not clear at this stage whether people stayed away from work or took the day off in anticipation of tomorrow’s Human Rights Day which is a public holiday.