Johannesburg – The EFF, which is leading the national shutdown against President Cyril Ramaphosa, has rejected the deployment of the SANDF to “suppress peaceful protests”.
Ahead of the protest, Police Minister Bheki Cele said the police had been hard at work collecting tyres placed in strategic locations across the country. Cele said at least 57 people had been arrested for public disturbances leading up to the shutdown.
The EFF said it rejected the deployment of the army and blamed Ramaphosa for his heavy-handed approach against the peaceful protest.
“The dictator Cyril Ramaphosa has deployed 3 474 members of the SANDF to suppress peaceful protests against his failed presidency and crush the calls for his resignation. This act demonstrates the bloodthirsty nature of the current government and the intolerance of the ruling party to dissent and opposition,” EFF spokesperson Sinawo Thambo said.
Thambo said South Africa was slowly becoming a military state, which is against the ideals of constitutionalism.
“South Africa has degenerated into a military state, and the deployment of the army to suppress the constitutional right to protest means we have returned to the dark days of apartheid. The current deployment of the army and the law enforcement agencies has surpassed that of the apartheid regime in the 1980s during the state of emergency, meaning Ramaphosa has declared war on the people of South Africa,” Thambo added.
He said the recent home raids and confiscation of tyres revealed the government’s paranoia and heavy-handed approach against protesters.
On Thursday, the Minister of Defence, General Rudzani Maphwanya, said he had been authorised to deploy the SANDF to help the SAPS and other state departments monitor the planned national shutdown protest marches across the country. He said their role, among other tasks, would be to protect the country’s key points against vandalism and possible theft.
“The SANDF elements will be deployed under Operation PROSPER from March 17, 2023 to April 17, 2023 and will be controlled through the Provincial Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure (Provjoints) with direction and guidance by the National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure (Natjoints) accordingly pending the re-assessment of the situation,” Maphwanya said.
The Star