We must vote for a party that will deliver basic services to citizens

The national shutdown by the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) this past Monday sparked a huge debate on whether it was successful or a flop.

One thing one can confirm after covering the protest action, especially in Johannesburg, is that it managed to disrupt the normal lives of citizens. Shops were closed, businesses were disrupted, fewer cars and trucks were on the road.

For the first time, police were on every corner of the streets, a rare thing to see when they always complain about not having enough cars or vans to attend to crime incidents.

The EFF mobilised citizens all over the city of Johannesburg and some ordinary members of the public joined them on the picket lines. Citizens were seen in many places encouraging them to forge ahead with the protest.

People were seen on their balconies waving for the marchers and encouraging the red berets to continue with the protest.

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One of the most surprising things was seeing a blind white woman joining the EFF on their march in Yeoville. This showed that maybe the issues the EFF were raising on that day affect all of us.

The government and those who were not in support of the march had anticipated looting, burning of property and violence. But this was not the case. There have been arguments saying the march was not successful but it is time we reflect on what exactly the EFF wanted to achieve.

They might have not achieved the goal of removing the ANC government and President Cyril Ramaphosa, but disrupting the economy, they did manage that.

As citizens, we need to now answer the questions of what exactly we need to do to claim back our beloved country.

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We can complain that what the EFF did was wrong but we cannot keep complaining without having an alternative plan of what needs to be done to take back our country from those plunging it into chaos. Because of the Save South Africa march in 2017, former president Jacob Zuma was recalled from office.

Why don’t we do the same to remove the incumbent president and his government? Why can’t all citizens unite to remove the incompetent government?

Just a day and a half after the shutdown, we are again plunged into rolling blackouts. It felt abnormal to have electricity day in and day out. The EFF has claimed the electricity is being used for political reasons.

Is it far from being wrong? Why are we all of a sudden being forced into load shedding after the shutdown? Was the EFF deputy president, Floyd Shivambu, right by saying if the party could take over government tomorrow, they would end all forms of load shedding in less than six months?

ALSO READ: Shivambu says EFF can end load shedding in six months

Was he right in saying load shedding is just a way for the ANC to sell off Eskom? What is it that in the past days they did to make sure that we have electricity all day? Why can’t they do the same thing they did for the past few days to make sure our lights stay on?

Politics aside, we need to take back our country from criminals who are enriching themselves by putting us into load shedding. Let us go to the polls next year and vote for a party that will make sure basic services are delivered to citizens.