Mbalula calls for calm as Pretoria march approved
• Parties to call for Zuma’s removal
SA’s opposition parties will take to the streets of Pretoria on Wednesday as part of rolling mass action to remove President Jacob Zuma from office. Newly appointed Police Minister Fikile Mbalula confirmed on Tuesday that the parties had obtained permission to march from Church Square to the Union Buildings.
SA’s opposition parties will take to the streets of Pretoria on Wednesday as part of rolling mass action to remove President Jacob Zuma from office.
Newly appointed Police Minister Fikile Mbalula confirmed on Tuesday that the parties had obtained permission to march from Church Square to the Union Buildings.
“The SAPS [South African Police Service] members, together with other government departments, law enforcement agencies and stakeholders, will once again be deployed to maintain law and order and to keep SA safe,” Mbalula said. “Again, government urges protesters to exercise their rights in accordance with the law, without resorting to violence, criminality and damage to property.”
The numbers for the march were expected to be high, with most of the people expected to come from the EFF.
At its economic freedom march in 2016, the EFF was able to rally 60,000 supporters.
Acting national police commissioner Khomotso Phahlane said the police were expecting about 10,000 people to march on Wednesday.
Last week’s marches throughout the country were said to have been attended by about 60,000 in total.
EFF spokesman Mbuyiseni Ndlozi said when making the application with the City of Tshwane for permission to march, the opposition parties said they were expecting about 5,000 people in total.
“But remember, if the people of SA come there, there is nothing we can do. We must all work together to make sure the march is co-ordinated and peaceful, so it doesn’t matter. If a million people come, that’s what it is.”
Ndlozi said that the EFF was not bussing people in for the march.
DA spokeswoman Phumzile van Damme said her party did not have specific details about the number of its supporters expected to come out on Wednesday. She said that the party had gone door-to-door mobilising people.
Mbalula called on opposition parties to ensure that the march was peaceful and did not infringe on the rights of others.
“Intimidation of South Africans who choose not to join the protest will not be tolerated.” Mbalula said.
The Save SA campaign on Tuesday said it was supporting the opposition parties’ march and encouraged supporters to join the demonstrators.
“We believe that the political parties have a constitutional duty to hold the president and public representatives accountable, which we support. For this reason, we will be joining arms with them to march from Church Square to the Union Buildings, while also urging them to recommit to nonviolence and resisting any provocation during the march.”
Marchers are expected to start converging on Church Square at 9am. The march will start at noon.
Meanwhile, the ANC will be holding a 75th birthday party for Zuma in Kliptown, Soweto, at 3pm on Wednesday.