There is no place or tolerance for vigilantism and forceful removal of an incumbent government in South Africa, according to the ANC.
In a statement on Tuesday, ANC national spokesperson Mahlengi Bhengu-Motsiri thanked all the people who boycotted the “so-called” nationwide shutdown which took place on Monday under the banner of the EFF.
However, Bhengu-Motsiri acknowledged that everyone has a right to protest, and noted that according to the Bill of Rights, no person or grouping may engage in an illegal action or impose protest action on people who do not support it.
Earlier in the day, President Cyril Ramaphosa wrote in his weekly newsletter that the country’s constitution guarantees every person “the right, peacefully and unarmed, to assemble, to demonstrate, to picket and to present petitions”.
However, said Ramaphosa: “We should be clear that the right to protest does not give anyone the right to harass, intimidate or threaten anyone else.
“It does not give anyone the right to damage property or cause harm to any person. One person’s right to protest should in no way infringe on any other person’s right to life and dignity.
“It should not impede their freedom of movement and association, or their right to engage in their trade or profession without hindrance.”
The president said the state has a duty to uphold the right to peaceful protest, adding that it also has the responsibility to prevent any attempt to violate any of the other rights in the constitution.
“It is well within the right of any person or organisation to call on fellow South Africans to freely join in acts of protest.
“But no one should be forced, threatened, or intimidated into joining that protest.”
EFF-led marches were held around the country amid tight security on Monday.
The organisation, which is calling for Ramaphosa’s immediate resignation and an end to loadshedding, said it is pleased that the shutdown is proceeding successfully, peacefully and with “the utmost discipline”.
EFF spokesperson Sinawo Thambo said: “This morning, activists came out in their numbers and registered their dissatisfaction against the incompetent government of Cyril Ramaphosa, in the face of intimidation and violence by police and military personnel.
“Many activists who were violated or detained by police in the early hours of this morning have been released and are on the ground determined to exercise their constitutional right to protest.
“As things stand, it is not a normal day in South Africa. Taxi ranks, malls and intersection which would ordinarily be busy in the cities and townships are empty.
“Many shops, businesses, petrol stations, car dealerships and courts are not operational as a result of the national shutdown.
“Buses and taxis are driving around the townships and cities empty, because our people have heeded the call of the EFF to not allow the country to be business as usual, and call for the resignation of Cyril Ramaphosa.”
Thambo added that the success of the national shutdown has proved that the people are tired of loadshedding, corruption, unemployment, crime, gender-based violence and a lack of service delivery.
One of the successes of the nationwide shutdown, he said, was that the stages of loadshedding were reduced.
The EFF also wants Ramaphosa to be held accountable for the illegal foreign currency that was hidden inside a sofa at his Phala Phala game farm in Limpopo.
The stack of undisclosed US dollars was allegedly stolen in February 2020.
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