Cape Town – South Africans have been urged to seize any loose tyres which are being placed along the roads and pavements ahead of the EFF’s national shutdown on Monday.
This comes after the circulating statement shared on a Facebook page called Pretoria North Community, amid the planned national shutdown by the EFF on Monday.
The post urged people to check their areas for loose tyres on pavements, claiming that those who will be taking part in national shutdown are busy preparing for mass action and intimidation on March 20 and they are busy placing the tyres along the road with the intentions of burning them on Monday.
The EFF announced in February that it would be organising a national shutdown in a bid to bring an end to load shedding, unemployment, crime crime, gender gender-based violence and for President Cyril Ramaphosa to step down.
The protest action has been criticized, with some saying it will add to the country’s economic woes as businesses are expected to be disrupted.
The shared post went on to say: “Notify your local security company or remove it yourself, and you can make the police aware, but due to a lack of recourse they may not pitch to help.”
The post even circulated on Twitter and caught the attention of the DA’s federal leader and former premier of the Western Cape, Helen Zille, who responded, saying: “I presume by ‘they’ this warning means those working for the shutdown. Be alert.“
I presume by "they" this warning means those working for the shut down. Be alert. pic.twitter.com/N6BBCMQt09
— Helen Zille (@helenzille) March 16, 2023
Another Twitter user, @ramalokot, shared a post of tyres placed next to the road, saying why deliver tyres four days before? “Malema thinks we are all from Ha-Sinthumule.”
Why deliver 4 days before? Malema thinks we are all from Ha-Sinthumule pic.twitter.com/AArJrcUOlS
— Thuso™ 🇿![CDATA[]]>🇦![CDATA[]]>🇿![CDATA[]]>🇦![CDATA[]]>🇿![CDATA[]]>🇦 (@ramalokot) March 16, 2023
These posts come as Santaco said minibus taxi operations are set to continue as normal on Monday despite the EFF’s calls for a national shutdown.
This decision follows after a meeting between the leadership of Santaco and the EFF, which was held on Wednesday, in Pretoria, to discuss the protest.
In a statement issued by Santaco, they said that although they respected the EFF’s reasons to embark on the national shutdown, they would stand by their decision to not partake in the protest.
IOL