Cape Town – ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula has slammed the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) for its planned national shutdown on Monday.
He said the party was trying to score political points by promoting anarchy and lawlessness.
Mbalula joins other politicians who have raised concerns about the impact the national shutdown will have on the economy of the country.
Last week, the EFF cautioned business owners to close their businesses to avoid the risk of looting during the planned national shutdown on March 20.
EFF leader Julius Malema said the national shutdown would demand an immediate end to load shedding and for president Cyril Ramaphosa to resign. The shutdown, he added, would make the Zuma Must Fall protest look like “Micky Mouse”.
But Mbalula said the EFF was advocating for anarchy by trying to bring the country’s economy to a standstill, according to the Citizen.
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“Shutdowns are not a solution to resolving people’s problems in a democracy.
“To call for the country to shutdown, we condemn that. You are organising anarchy and lawlessness in a democratic dispensation because you want to woo political support and plant the seed for an insurrection, political strike in the country, or – if you like – an [Arab] spring,” the report quoted Mbalula as saying.
Mbalula said it must be business as usual and no one must be prevented from going to work or school on Monday.
“Those who march must march. But to shut down the economy is anarchy at its highest order,” Mbalula said during a media briefing in Mamelodi, northeast of Tshwane on Wednesday.
According to Times Live, Mbalula said: “We are not against any march against our government, but we frown upon and condemn shutting down the economy and calling on illegal activities to happen.”
The DA has also criticised the EFF for “inciting violence” ahead of the planned shutdown, saying that the country couldnot afford a day without economic activity.
Meanwhile, former Operation Dudula movement leader Nhlanhla ‘Lux’ Dlamini called on supporters to help prevent the EFF from “collapsing” the country’s economy.
“On March 20 those who are sane, I want you to go out and protect the malls and shops. Take formation as we always do in our townships and suburbs. We are not going to let these anarchists collapse our economy,” Lux said.
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Compiled by Olwethu Mpeshe
