Benoni protest will go ahead tomorrow

Marches are due to be held tomorrow following President Jacob Zuma’s recent cabinet reshuffle.

“This is not a protest to promote any political party,” said Nel, who is a Benoni resident.

“This is a peaceful protest for South Africans to join together and stand for their rights.”

Initially the protest was meant to be a private event, but it has attracted great interest and, as a result, has been moved across the road from the church on O’Reilly Merry Street.

“We therefore obtained a license to hold the protest,” Nel added, saying it will be held from 8am until 9am.

There was some confusion when the protest was initially planned to be held outside the church; however, Nel clarified that the All Souls Church has no part in the protest.

Bishop Siwa asks Methodists to support protest

The presiding bishop of Methodist churches, Zipho Siwa, has asked Methodist members to support the protest.

“The cabinet reshuffle has left a distasteful and gaping wound in the morale of a wide spectrum of the people of South Africa,” he said.

“Thus we are encouraging all our members to participate in the legal, silent, peaceful protest.

“We will be gathering at Northfield Methodist Church, at 7.45am and will make our way down to the Northmead protest.

“We are asking you to bring along your own placard, and to ensure the messaging reflects our religious convictions.”

How to obtain permission

Obtaining a licence for a protest requires several steps to be adhered to in terms of the Regulations of Gathering Act (RGA):

• Establish the form of the event (sit-in, marches).

• Appoint a convener and deputy convener who will lead the protest.

• Give notice in terms of Section Three of the RGA to the responsible officer appointed by the municipality or to the station commander at your local police station at least seven days before the planned protest.

If permission is requested in a period shorter than seven days, valid reasons must be supplied.

In exceptional circumstances, notice can be given at least 48 hours before a planned protest.

You need proof of delivery of the notice and emails do not qualify.

• Give notice of petitions and memoranda.

• Appoint marshalls to explain the contents of the notice to the responsible officer.

• Be available for a conveners’ meeting with an officer to discuss the contents of the notice.

• Request written permission from the officer.

The RGA also stipulates what should be done during and after a protest.

During the protest:

• The protest should begin at the time which was agreed upon at the conveners’ meeting or if there was not a conveners’ meeting then the protest should begin at the time stated in the notice.

• The convener and the chief marshall should each have a copy of the notice and any other authorisation that was provided to them from the responsible officer and should ensure that the protest proceeds in accordance with the terms in the notice.

Protesters are not allowed to wear clothing that resembles that of any security force including the army or the police service, to carry banners, messages or sing songs that amount to hate speech or discrimination based on culture, race, sex, language or religion, utter words or act in a way that is intended to cause or encourage violence, cover or mask their faces or prevent themselves from being identifiable.

But, protesters have the right to record the protest.

After the protest:

Once it has ended, protesters must disperse in the manner and at the time agreed upon (either at the convener’s meeting or in the notice if there was no convener’s meeting).

Failure to disperse at this time means that this becomes a continuing protest that is no longer in compliance with the RGA and the police may attempt to disperse the protesters.

Also read:

Reward offered for missing dog

Blood service is running dry

Follow us on these platforms:

Like our Facebook page and follow us on Twitter.

For news straight to your phone invite us:
WhatsApp: 079 431 1217
Instagram: benonicitytimes.co.za