Cape Town - Capetonians should brace themselves for intermittent road closures as two anti-Zuma marches and one in support of the embattled president takes place in the inner city on Tuesday, ahead of a motion of no confidence in the president.
City of Cape Town spokesperson Haley van der Woude said one of the marches, the "Unite Behind" coalition moved their date back to Monday. The protest by a coalition made up of civil society organisations, the legal fraternity, and ordinary citizens, is underway on Monday mid-afternoon.
Tuesday's marches would be by members of ruling parties, their supporters and their rivals.
"One of the marches, organised by the Dullah Omar (Cape Town) Regional Branch, would start off at the Grand Parade. They (the African National Congress) are going to be assembling from nine and march at 1pm," said Van der Woude.
"They will be marching to Parliament via Darling Street and end up at the national legislature. They have to disperse by the time the proceeding in the Assembly are done."
Multi-party protests has also been approved. It is understood the Democratic Alliance, Economic Freedom Fighters, the African Christian Democratic Party and the Inkatha Freedom Party would be in attendance.
They are marching from Kaizergracht to Parliament. They would turn into Buitenkant Street and then proceed to Roeland street, but stop short of meeting up with the ANC protesters.
Western Cape police said they would be out in full force during the demonstrations and have set up a provincial joint operations and intelligence structure (ProvJoints) "in anticipation of score of of people descending on the city centre".
"Business owners are advised to exercise discretion in relation to operating hours on the days in question. March organisers and participants are urged to conduct themselves within the parameters of the law," South African Police Services said.
"As law enforcement agencies within the ProvJoints we recognise citizens’ right to protest. However the right to protest comes with responsibility. Destruction of property, looting and other unlawful conduct will not be tolerated."