The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) Commander in Chief Julius Malema said in a media briefing today his party has managed to release 230 people who were arrested during their shutdown on Monday.
The shutdown led by the Red Berets was meant to put pressure on the government to fix Eskom so it can provide sufficient electricity, ending load shedding and for President Cyril Ramaphosa to step down.
Malema said about 150 000 people were part of the march across the country in all towns. Malema said many of those who were arrested were released without going to court.
“Of the 303 who were arrested today we are sitting with 230 that we successfully released. You know those who were arrested in my township were about five or six. The magistrate said to them, ‘what is this? Not in court in the office of the magistrate and he said ‘I can’t listen to this’,” he said.
He said the EFF central command team member and MP Yoliswa Yako who was arrested was also released.
“They identified her, arrested her and released her. What trauma does it do to that female comrade who was walking to be part of the peaceful march,” he asked.
Malema also condemned the arrest of the EFF’s Gauteng Provincial Secretary Moshe Koma for allegedly running an illegal operation involving guns from his home, although no guns were found in the home.
Malema said the party will take the Minister of Transport Lydia Chikunga to court for abuse of power for intimidating bus operators from transporting EFF supporters to the march.
“A minister instructing bus owners not to give buses to the EFF must be declared unconstitutional so not only must we go to the public protector, we must go to court,” he said.
Malema dismissed claims that South Africans rejected the party’s shutdown campaign and said businesses that were closed on Monday was on its own a sign of success. He accused the government of using the national electricity grid to manipulate the public. Malema’s comments are in response to critics such as the ANC who have claimed Monday’s protest was a monumental failure.
