Johnathan Paoli
THE Western Cape EFF’s planned shutdown is set to kick off on Monday against the impoundment of taxis by the City of Cape Town, despite the party going at it alone.
WC EFF spokesperson Wandile Kasibe said that the party would go ahead with the planned shutdown of the province, despite the sudden withdrawal of various other organisations at the last minute.
“The most important thing here is the issues our people are dealing with. Whether you call it a shutdown, march, protest, or strike, [that] is not the issue. It’s the violence, taxi impoundments, gangsterism, load shedding and unemployment that is [an issue],” Kasibe explained.
The provincial ANC, Santaco and the SA National Civic Organisation (Sanco) on Sunday canceled their participation in the protest, claiming problems in communication from the EFF and distancing themselves from any “strike” or “shutdown”
ANC provincial spokesperson Muhammad Khalid Sayed said the party is unhappy with the EFF labeling the march as a shutdown.
“It was always our position that this was a multi-party march against the unlawful impoundment of taxis. It was never intended to be a shutdown led by one political party. The mixed messages emanating as late as this [Sunday] morning in the media have convinced us that it would be unwise to participate,” Sayed said.
Santaco deputy-chairperson Nceba Enge said that as a council they will not be participating, but added however that members in the industry belonging to the red berets could possibly join in their private capacity.
Sanco spokesperson Buntu Gwija said that the organisation stands for peaceful resolutions, and called on its members not to participate and continue with their normal activities.
The City of Cape Town confirmed on Friday that permission had been granted for the expected group of 1 000 protesters, who will gather at 9am on the open field on the corner of Heideveld road and Volstruis road in Bridgetown (Vangate Mall).
From there they will proceed to the Ndabeni pound and the left lane along Jakes Gerwel road northbound will be cordoned off for the marchers as they continue and turn left into Viking Way, and then Jan Smuts Way.
The march is expected to end at the Ndabeni Municipal Complex, where a memorandum of demands would be handed over to city officials.
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