PHUTI MOSOMANE
MINISTER in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni said on Thursday that Cabinet has expressed concern over calls for a national shutdown, describing such calls as “irresponsible and reckless”.
Ntshavheni, who addressed the media following a Cabinet meeting this week, said the Justice, Crime Prevention and Security (JCPS) cluster is seized with work to ensure that lawlessness is not tolerated.
“The alleged demands about ending load shedding, high cost of living and high unemployment rate were addressed by the President during the State of the Nation Address on the 9th of February 2023,” she said.
“Specifics on ending load-shedding, the President has appointed a Minister for Electricity, Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, who is solely focused on ending load shedding. The implementation of the 5-point Energy Action Plan is underway in earnest and the Minister of Electricity will in the coming weeks announce Eskom’s performance targets towards ending load shedding.”
The Economic Freedom Fighters )EFF), with the support from SA Federation of Trade Unions (SAFTU), Pan Africanist Congress (PAC) and other organisations have called for a national shutdown.
But Ntshavheni said Ramaphosa, in his 2023 SONA, addressed measures put in place to address high levels of youth unemployment and cost of living.
“Therefore, the only demand which is the basis of this protest action is the plan to remove President Ramaphosa from office through unconstitutional means. We want to inform all that regime change through unconstitutional means will not happen in South Africa,” said Ntshavheni.
“Anyone with ambitions to govern this country must wait to contest the 2024 general elections. Attempts to cause disruption and disturbances in the country will be meant with the full might of the law. We must also clarify that no amount of political adventurism should sway any South Africans.”
She said Cabinet has also noted “the hallucination of groupings claiming to have given Cabinet 7-days to close schools. The South African schools’ calendar for both public and private schools, which was gazette in March 2022, already provides for 20th March 2023 as a special school holiday.”
Meanwhile, Police Minister Bheki Cele said the march on Monday will be a normal day, and all government services will be available without any disruptions.
“I want to assure the people that Monday will be a normal day. All government services will be available. No one will be intimidated and stopped from going to work,” he said.
On the other hand, Minister of Defence, Thani Modise, said the army will be on standby should there be a need.”
“The army will be on standby, but I think there is enough capacity in the police department. There are police reserves that could be utilized,” she said.
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