Johannesburg - Organisers of the "total shutdown" protests against crime in predominantly coloured (mixed race) communities vowed on Monday to press on with the demonstrations until President Cyril Ramaphosa adhere to their demands.
Areas including Westbury, Ennerdale and Lenasia have seen a wave of protests in the wake of the death of Heather Peterson who was caught in the crossfire during a gun battle between drug gang members in Westbury. She was struck by a bullet while walking with her niece, who was injured.
''We received a fresh mandate to continue with strategic occupation and planning of our people's freedom," the organisers who call themselves the Gauteng Shutdown Coordinating Committee said in a statement. "We did a post-mortem of the first shutdown and can pleasantly report that there is a unanimous agreement that it was a profoundly successful project because we were always seen as divided and unintelligent."
''The historic position taken on Friday, against the endless suppression of a supposedly passive people, have many tongues exercising. We have observed with excitement as to how many of our people are breaking their silence, we surprisingly read and hear so-called coloured analysts come out in support of our actions.''
They said residents planned to march to the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) on Tuesday to demand economic inclusion.
''We will be in the different spaces for the rest of the year until we get a respectable response from the state President Cyril Ramaphosa and his Cabinet. We deserve to be included in all socio-economic activities. If the state continues to keep us outside of economic activities, we will crush them too.''
On Friday, residents will commemorate 'Blood Friday' to honour Peterson through another shutdown protest. The 45-year-old mother was laid to rest on Saturday.
''The Blood Friday 2018 will equally focus on every life loss in the entire South African communities and villages, but with a particular focus on those classified as coloureds this year," the organisers said. "The Blood Friday project will not have an exclusively so-called coloured focus, hence we are inviting everyone to take part and personalize Blood Friday.''
''We call on all our people to come out and support Blood Friday by wearing a brown t-shirt and a black armband in memory of Heather Petersen and all those who lost their lives...''
No protests were planned for Monday.