Marchers to air views on Zuma

CAPE TOWN’s central business district will be the focal point of protesters next week as supporters and opponents of President Jacob Zuma are expected to march through the streets before a no-confidence motion is tabled in the National Assembly.

On Monday, #UniteBehind, a coalition of social justice and faithbased movements, will march from Keizergracht Street in District Six to the gates of Parliament, where they will gather at 3pm.

Former deputy finance minister Mcebisi Jonas, who remains an ANC MP, is expected to address the #UniteBehind marchers.

On Tuesday, opposition parties the DA, EFF, IFP, UDM, ACDP, Agang, AIC, APC, Cope, NFP, Freedom Front Plus and the PAC will march at 9.30am, also from Keizergracht Street.

City of Cape Town spokesperson Hayde van der Woude said the SAPS would be the lead agent for next week’s planned marches to Parliament. The City’s law enforcement agencies would play a supportive role.

Whether streets were closed would be decided later by the SAPS.

Van der Woude said the ANC’s Dullah Omar region had asked for permission for 10 000 people to march from the Grand Parade to Parliament and ending at the corner of Plein and Roeland streets.

She said opposition parties had also applied for a march of 10 000 people from Keizergracht to Parliament through Darling, Buitenkant, Glynne and Vrede streets ending at the corner of St John’s and Roeland streets.