Niehaus: Friday’s march to Luthuli House, the first of many against Ramaphosa

ANC supporters and members are expected to march to the party’s Chief Albert Luthuli House Headquarters on Friday morning, Carl Niehaus confirmed.

Speaking to The Citizen, Niehaus said the march was inspired by a number of issues, among those is for party leader Cyril Ramaphosa to step aside.

He said they will be bussing in people from as far as KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) and expect the march to be attended by between 1 000 to 2 000 people.

“This march is just a build up to a series of planned rolling mass action as we are also planning another march to the Union Buildings in the last week of this month.

“We are also calling for the coming ANC policy conference to be preceded by a National General Council meeting,” Niehaus said.

Asked whether they have been inspired by the ongoing protest action in Sri Lanka, where the irate protestors stormed the home of the president, and if they are planning something similar here in South Africa, Niehaus responded:

“We are not emulating Sri Lanka in every respect and as I have always said, marches or protest action must at all times be done in a legal manner,” Niehaus said.

Friday’s march comes barely weeks after the so-called “Total Shutdown” which left motorists and commuters stranded in Mpumalanga. Something similar appeared to be taking place in parts of KZN, but that only lasted for a day.

As was the case in Mpumalanga, Niehaus said Friday’s (tomorrow) march will also be about the high rising cost of fuel and food.

The planned rolling mass action also comes at a time when Ramaphosa is facing an array of challenges.

Recently, former spy boss, Arthur Fraser laid a complaint with the police against Ramaphosa, alleging the president concealed a 2020 theft, which took place at his Phala Phala farm in Limpopo.

Ramaphosa opted not to say much about the incident, a move which didn’t sit well with some, including those who belong to the Radical Economic Transformation (RET) faction.

As if that’s not enough, Ramaphosa is also facing a barrage of criticism over the country’s electricity crisis.

South Africans have had to endure relentless load shedding for weeks on end. The load shedding stages varied between stage 4 and 6.

There has also been murmurs suggesting that the president will soon address the nation about the subject in question.

Meanwhile, responding to Friday’s planned march, spokesperson for the Johannesburg metro police, Xolani Fihla confirmed that the planned march has been approved.

“We don’t know as yet as to how many people will be taking part in the march,” Fihla said.