THE DA’s court application to halt Monday’s national shutdown by the EFF declared unlawful, has been dismissed by the Johannesburg High Court.
The DA approached the court on Friday to declare the planned shutdown unlawful.
The shutdown has been organised to protest against the country’s power crisis and has called on President Cyril Ramaphosa to resign.
According to the Joburg court ruling, EFF members, employees and officials are prohibited from shutting down schools, retail stores, businesses, trade and public roads.
The court also barred the EFF from promoting, instigating or organising the blocking of roads or railway lines and any unlawful conduct.
DA leader John Steenhuisen said the party welcomed the judgement by the Gauteng High Court on Saturday which has interdicted “the EFF from violating the rights of South Africans to work, go to school, and trade, by any means of intimidation, violence, or coercion, on the party’s planned national shutdown on Monday 20 March 2023”.
“This interdict will strengthen the arm of South Africa’s law enforcement bodies and security services to uphold the law on the national shutdown,” said Steenhuisen.
“Most notably, we welcome the judgement which states that EFF members, employees and officials are interdicted and prohibited from: shutting down schools, retail stores, businesses, trade and public roads, calling for, promoting instigating or organising the blocking of roads or railway lines, and/or the shutting down of schools, retail stores, businesses, and trades, organizing or participating in, or inciting others to organise or participate in, any unlawful conduct and/or unlawful protect action; and inciting violence.”
Earlier, the Western Cape High Court granted an urgent interdict and ordered the EFF and its supporters not to harm or threaten people and businesses during their protests.
Judge Mark Sher issued a list of conditions after the City of Cape Town and Western Cape Premier Alan Winde applied for the interdict.
The Western Cape Government had joined the City of Cape Town’s legal bid to secure an interdict to prevent unlawful protests, incitement to violence and intimidation, and damage to property.
The Western Cape’s intervention, according to the DA, was aimed specifically at extending the interdict beyond Cape Town’s municipal boundaries to the whole of the Western Cape province.
“I hope this interdict sends a clear, unambiguous message to anyone intent on shutting down our province and the country next Monday. I trust that all aspects of the interdict will be adhered to. Those who proceed with intimidating residents who want to go to work on Monday must face the consequences of their actions. Apart from preventing anarchy, today’s legal action is also about supporting members of the public who want to work. Workers who are prevented from going to work stand to lose a day’s wages, especially temporary and contract staff. The calls for a shutdown are callous and against workers,” said Alan Winde, Premier of the Western Cape.
“The Western Cape Government (WCG) is committed to economic freedom, not shutting down our economy. With us forging ahead with our economic recovery, it is counterintuitive to impede people from going to work. We will not allow individuals to behave irresponsibly or place the safety of many thousands of people at risk.”
The EFF said on Saturday that the right to protest is a universal and inalienable right that no one should undermine.
“We applaud the Courts for stopping the unlawful attempts to stop a lawful protest,” the EFF said in a statement.
The Johannesburg High Court has dismissed the DA’s application to have Monday’s EFF shutdown declared unlawful.
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