Cape Town — The Democratic Alliance (DA) has expressed concern over businesses that may want to trade during the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF’)s national shutdown and announced that it has launched legal action against it.
The Shutdown is planned to take place on March 20 to protest the ongoing load shedding and to call for President Cyril Ramaphosa to step down.
The EFF’s leader, Julius Malema has urged South Africans to join the Shutdown.
“Now is the time to take action. The streets are calling. We all have to occupy all the streets of South Africa. Wherever you are, make your voice be heard. Enough is enough. Unemployment in South Africa cannot be tolerated anymore,” Malema said.
♦️Must Watch♦️
A Message From CIC @Julius_S_Malema
The streets are calling, Enough is Enough!
Join the National Shutdown on the 20th of March 2023 to demand the immediate resignation of Cyril Ramaphosa!#NationalShutdown pic.twitter.com/lZcH0CHo1F
— Economic Freedom Fighters (@EFFSouthAfrica) March 13, 2023
But the DA has taken a firm stance against the planned Shutdown.
“We will not sit back and allow the EFF to threaten businesses, livelihoods and lives,” said its leader, John Steenhuisen.
“The rule of law encompasses the notions of equality before the law, and that no one can take the law into their own hands.
“In threatening violence and vandalism, the EFF is doing just this – taking the law into their own hands,” he added.
Steenhuisen added that the DA has written to the Minister of Defence, requesting that adequate soldiers be put on standby, ensuring that the necessary resources are available to prevent an outbreak of violence and looting.
“It is completely unacceptable to us that the EFF is trampling on the rights of others, in order to make their own demands heard,” he added.
Follow African Insider on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram
Picture: Twitter/ @Our_DA
For more African news, visit Africaninsider.com
Compiled by Junaid Benjamin
