No permission granted for Tshwane march, says Phahlane

All planned marches set to take place in Tshwane on Friday will be illegal, said acting police commissioner Lieutenant General Khomotso Phahlane on Thursday evening.

The announcement comes as organisations and citizens gear up to take part in various anti-Zuma marches, not only in the capital city, but across the country.

Earlier this week, government issued a strongly worded statement, warning South Africans against protesting illegally on Friday.

“Whilst the public has a democratic right to embark on protest action, government does not support acts of civil disobedience and the actions of a select few to infringe on the constitutional rights of the majority,” the statement said.

According to News24, Phahlane said anyone taking part in the planned protest action would be breaking the law.

This was because no permission was granted for the march by the relevant authorities.

Phahlane’s statement is in stark contradiction to Tshwane Mayor Solly Msimanga’s statement earlier, in which he said it was untrue that the city had denied permission for Friday’s march.

Msimanga took to Twitter to say “someone was trying to create confusion” by saying permission had been denied.

The planned marches come in the wake of increased pressure for embattled President Jacob Zuma to step down as president.

Most political parties and civil society organisations have been united in their call for the president to go and have urged residents to take part in planned marches in protest against Zuma.

The ANC’s NEC, however, appears to have rallied behind the president after showing severe signs of disunity in the wake of a controversial cabinet reshuffle that saw South Africa’s S&P rating downgraded.

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