March the beloved country
Protesters urged to wear and wave SA flags
Thousands of South Africans are expected to take to the streets today around the country in their effort to pressurise President Jacob Zuma to step down.
This followed last night’s dramatic press briefing at which Acting National Police boss Commissioner Lieutenant-General Khomotso Phahlane declared the marches to the National Treasury and the Union Buildings illegal.
Around the same time, the National Coalition Against State Capture (NCASC) successfully appealed the Tshwane metro police’s decision not to allow the march to the Treasury and Zuma’s office at the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court.
The DA will march in the streets of Johannesburg, starting from Westgate transport hub around 10am and proceed to the city’s Fitzgerald Square
The SACP, NCASC which includes Save South Africa and other civil society formations as well as other citizens are to march to the Treasury and the Union Buildings in Pretoria.
Yesterday, Johannesburg metropolitan police said they would have enough personnel to work in shifts to monitor the #peoplesmarch.
Other marches will be held in Cape Town, Durban, Mbombela and Port Elizabeth.
Save SA said activities will start in Church Square, in central Pretoria, at 10am, while the actual march will commence at noon.
Save SA’s Lawson Naidoo said: “If you come in peace you are welcome. This is a nonsectarian protest, and we are encouraging people to wear and wave SA flags along the way.”
He said the ANC and parliament had no reason to delay holding Zuma accountable and “do everything in their power to remove him from office”.
At the Durban High Court, the DA successfully interdicted eThekwini mayor Zandile Gumede from threatening protesters with arrest or instructing police to do so.
Meanwhile, Zuma’s office said in a statement last night that the president had never opposed the march.