ANC goes to court over DA march

960 02.02.2014 ANC supporters chants as they wait for DA members to handover a memorandum opposing ANC'S Election Manuifesto outsideLuthuli House. Picture:Sharon Seretlo

960 02.02.2014 ANC supporters chants as they wait for DA members to handover a memorandum opposing ANC'S Election Manuifesto outsideLuthuli House. Picture:Sharon Seretlo

Published Feb 11, 2014

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Johannesburg - The ANC will apply to the High Court in Johannesburg on Tuesday for a protective order against a planned DA march in the city, an official said.

“This has been necessitated by information at our disposal which indicates that the DA has contracted a private security company that will be armed to form part of the march,” spokesman Jackson Mthembu said in a statement.

“In addition they have booked a hospital, procured helmets and shields, and organised emergency services to be on standby.”

He said it was clear that the Democratic Alliance had no intention of conducting a peaceful event.

DA leader Helen Zille will lead her party members in a march to the African National Congress's headquarters for “real” jobs on Wednesday.

The party had originally said it would march to the ANC's headquarters, Luthuli House, in the Johannesburg CBD but this plan was thwarted by metro police.

The party would instead march to Beyers Naude Square, a block away from Luthuli House.

The DA has said it will be a peaceful march.

Mthembu said the application was to ensure that there was no potential for incidents of intimidation and provocation.

When the DA first announced its intention to march, Mthembu warned the party not to provoke the ANC.

He warned the DA about what happened when it marched to the Congress of SA Trade Unions' office two years ago.

Cosatu members threw stones at DA supporters as they made their way to the lawns of the Joburg (formerly the Civic) Theatre, 50 metres from the trade union federation's office.

Riot police were alerted and teargas and water cannon were used.

Mthembu said the ANC did not want to be put in the same situation and called on the DA to reconsider the march.

Mthembu on Tuesday claimed the march was part of the DA's “desperate and high-risk stunts” in order to capture the political limelight.

“However this time the risks they are taking places ordinary people in danger.

“When they march with weapons and hired gunmen, they are taking us back to an era when violence and conflict defined our political environment,” he said.

Sapa

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