The City of Cape Town filed an urgent application in the Western Cape High Court to interdict the EFF’s threat of intimidation and violence during the planned national shutdown on Monday.

The EFF is organising various marches across the country against load shedding and has called on President Cyril Ramaphosa to resign.

ALSO READ: EFF plans national shutdown against load shedding, Ramaphosa

The City said it approached the Western Cape High Court on Tuesday to prevent any attempts to incite or participate in looting, vandalism and disruption as part of the EFF’s national shutdown.

Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis said the City intended to be fully open for business on Monday.

“Everyone has the right to democratically protest in South Africa, but it is undemocratic and unlawful to threaten a shutdown of public life and for businesses to stay closed or face dire consequences.”

“The interdict is a precautionary measure to ensure the organisers and participants stay within the confines of the law and permit to march to the National Parliament Buildings to hand over a memorandum,” he added.

Hill-Lewis said the interdict also served as a notice that the City would not hesitate to launch a civil claim against the EFF should any of its public infrastructure be damaged.

“Cape Town will be open for business as usual, and authorities are well prepared and equipped to deal with what is likely to be only limited, isolated attempts at disruption by the EFF. Would-be disruptors will be arrested, and we are also seeking a precautionary interdict against looting, vandalism or disruptions,” he said.

Ahead of the shutdown, the EFF has warned communities to shut businesses or risk looting. However, the Chairperson of the EFF in the Western Cape has denied allegations that there will be violence coming Monday.

#NationalShutdown https://t.co/bdMklWLL18

— Economic Freedom Fighters (@EFFSouthAfrica) March 14, 2023

Hill-Lewis said while the City fully recognised the right to protest, it did not allow for “thuggery aimed at terrorising members of the public”.

“We will ensure that Capetonians are able to go about their daily business on Monday. Should any damage to public infrastructure occur on Monday, the City will not hesitate to lay a civil claim against the EFF, given the public threats made to date.

“We are focused on growing the economy and getting more people into work so they can earn a living and thrive: there will be no national shutdown in Cape Town,” he said.

Western Cape Premier Alan Winde shared the City’s sentiment, saying any threats of violence, looting of businesses, intimidation and disruption of services were totally unacceptable.

“The EFF has the constitutional right to protest, but it is intolerable for them to threaten the constitutional rights of other citizens, especially where essential services such as individual safety, healthcare and education are concerned. This protest, as misguided as it is, should only proceed within the law.”

Winde said the Western Cape government would not hesitate to approach the courts.

EFF national spokesperson Sinawo Thambo said in a statement: “The DA has, at this stage, only applied for an interdict against the national shutdown only in the City of Cape Town, as it reveals their narrow fetish to categorise the City of Cape Town and the Western Cape as a province separate from South Africa.”

Thambo said the conditions in the Western Cape were dire, particularly for black people living on the outskirts of wealth, who were suffering a lack of service delivery and experiencing poverty.

News24