The EFF labelled the army’s deployment ahead of its shutdown as a bid by President Cyril Ramaphosa to “crush the calls for his resignation”.
The opposition party likened the deployment of the army to a return to a state of emergency during apartheid.
“South Africa has degenerated into a military state, and the deployment of the army to suppress the constitutional right to protest means we have returned to the dark days of apartheid,” read a statement issued on the eve of the party’s protest to highlight the electricity crisis and governance concerns.
The security cluster responded by putting various protective and preventive measures in place, should the protest become unruly and violent, despite two interdicts prohibiting such.
The EFF interpreted these measures as a “declaration of war on the people of South Africa”.
“The scenes of military personnel descending into the townships in South Africa, police searching the homes and cars of citizens without warrants or just cause, and shutting down tyre shops reveal a paranoid government that is capable of grave human rights violations.”
The party feared a “massacre in defence of a corrupt president”.
♦️Happening Now♦️
The fearless defenders of the Constitution are out in Tshwane. No army and no police can stand in the way of a revolution. It’s Now Or Never! Ramaphosa Must Go!#RamaphosaMustGo #NationalShutdown pic.twitter.com/of9Xgvf16b
— Economic Freedom Fighters (@EFFSouthAfrica) March 20, 2023
In the meantime, the housing activist organisation, Abahlali baseMjondolo, said the event was causing panic and threatening ordinary people, especially vulnerable minorities and migrants.
“The tone in which the EFF commander-in-chief makes his call for a shutdown demonstrates too much anger and sounds to be inciting violence. South Africa is a country suffering from a crisis of systemic violence, and it is highly irresponsible for any leader to encourage more violence.”
Although the organisation was not consulted on the shutdown plans, it respected the reasons for the protest.
But it believed there could have been a better way, in the spirit of solidary, so would not participate.
“The state uses everyday violence to govern the poor in this country. Both the ANC and the EFF are probably learning from the state. It is imperative that all progressive political forces clearly reject the normalisation of violence as we work toward a just peace.”
The Cape Chamber of Commerce and Industry criticised EFF leader Julius Malema’s messaging.
“He rails against the violence of the state, but he is surely well aware that his war talk is likely to provoke confrontation when his supporters take to the streets, particularly in a context of widespread economic suffering,” said Jacques Moolman, the president of the Cape Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
“As a chamber, we believe the only way to end the pain of poverty is to create jobs by promoting private sector-led growth. Looting and political posturing will only take us backward; let us rather mobilise around leaders’ will to build a prosperous future rather than pander to those who are shackled to the past.”
The Cape Crime Crisis Committee said families were fearing what would happen during the shutdown.
“A similar anxiety is felt by those in occupations and sectors who, for whatever reason, cannot or do not wish to participate in the 20 March shutdown,” said a statement endorsed by 12 civic society organisations in Cape Town.
“We citizens and all who reside in South Africa remain anxious. The July unrest showed that it is the most vulnerable – ordinary families, the poor and non-locals/foreign nationals who are harmed, often fatally, by ethnic, racist and xenophobic groups, parties and individuals, particularly if public policing is inefficient in stymying instigators of violence.”
Gavin Kelly, the CEO of the Road Freight Association, sent a message on Sunday night, to remind trucking companies to consider delaying the movement of goods until after the protest.
“Business has two options on Monday. The one is to operate, and the other is to mitigate and reduce risk as much as possible,” he said.
“The last thing we want is scenes of people being hurt,” he said.
He said the police had asked them to reduce risk as much as possible so that they could focus on the protest.
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