‘Forced shutdown’ cannot become the norm, says Defend our Democracy
A group of 37 organisations under the banner of Defend our Democracy has come out strongly against what they believe to be a “forced national shutdown”.
The EFF-led shutdown is planned for Monday.
The party has already served letters to businesses across the country, including the OR Tambo International Airport, telling them to shut down operations next Monday.
They are protesting against the continued load shedding, and called for the resignation of President Cyril Ramaphosa.
Defend Our Democracy’s Nonkululeko Mntambo says police, government and security forces must protect those not involved in the shutdown.
“Defend our Democracy believes in the right to protest. However, that right cannot infringe on other people’s rights to work, to their livelihoods and so forth.
“We will not be taking part in the national shutdown as the intimidation is a threat to other people's rights and we will not be a part of that. We are calling on the police, the government and security forces to be on stand-by to protect as many people as possible.”
Mntambo says this type of forced shutdown cannot become the norm.
“Any attempt at preventing those who may not support the shutdown from going to work, to school or to university, infringes on their constitutional rights. Insisting that roads will be shut down and that no trucks, trains or buses will move, and hinting that businesses that remain open could be looted are subtle forms of intimidation that must be called out.
“We challenge the notion that a forcible shutdown is an accepted norm of protest. There is a clear distinction between the constitutional right to protest or to canvass support for a stayaway, and the fear mongering and forced shutdown of the country”.
Meanwhile EFF leader Julius Malema has promised that the shutdown will be peaceful, and will benefit South Africans in the long run by pressuring government to end load shedding.
"How would you know there will be violence when you are the only one who says there will be violence? The DA knows there's going to be violence because it is going to deploy agents as they did during apartheid,” he said on Wednesday.
"It will not be for the best, but we are vigilant and ready for their people, so we have no history of violence during our protests."
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