This comes after Police Minister Bheki Cele confirmed that the SAPS had arrested 57 people and collected more than 24 000 tyres placed at strategic places across the country in the lead-up the protest.
Speaking to Newzroom Afrika, EFF spokesperson Sinawo Thambo said the arrests were uncalled for as they had done nothing wrong. Some of those arrested were university students who were arrested in Braamfontein after a gathering on Sunday.
“We are proud of the youth, and we are calling for them to come out in their numbers, despite what happened in Braamfontein, where we saw police arrest young women who had done nothing. No business was open here in the morning. No one was going to work. No one was obstructed, but this military and this police, who are supposedly deployed to defend so-called businesses from looting, arrested over 57 people. For what? Why were those people arrested, and why are they in jail? There has been no crime that is verifiable that has been happening. So we are proud of the youth, and we are saying to them: Be fearless,” Thambo said.
The opposition is demanding the resignation of President Cyril Ramaphosa amid the continual bouts of load shedding that South Africa has experienced for months.
Nhlanhla “Lux” Dlamini, president of the Soweto Parliament and former leader of Operation Dudula movement, has blamed the EFF for the petrol bombing of his Soweto home.
Dlamini took to social media to allege that two bombs were let off at his home. He said his neighbour’s windows were damaged in the incident.
On Monday morning, Police Minister Bheki Cele said the police were on high alert and were closely monitoring the situation across the country following incidents on Sunday in which streets were blocked.
“People were blocking the road, and we were told that others were stamping on the roofs of the cars that were there.
“So, the police, as usual, had to make a call for them to stop, but they couldn’t stop, so they had to use the minimum kind of force; they used stun grenades. Fortunately, there were no rubber bullets used there,” Cele said.
“But, up to this time, 57 people have been arrested around the country in different provinces. Gauteng leads, Free State comes after, and then the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal.”
PAINTING THE COUNTRY RED
The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) members painted most towns red as they marched during the National Shutdown demanding that President Cyril Ramaphosa resigns, end to loadshedding, unemployment and Gender-Based-Violence. Though the protests were reported peaceful in most parts of the country, in KwaZulu Natal, the police says they were forced to use force to disperse protesters who were threatening businesses owners. Here is a look at EFF members painting the coutry red on Monday.
