ANC Secretary General Fikile Mbalula briefs the media at Luthuli House in Johannesburg. Picture: Nigel Sibanda
African National Congress (ANC) secretary-general Fikile Mbalula has once again slammed the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) for its planned national shutdown, saying the party is trying to seek relevance by promoting anarchy.
The red berets, along with other civil society organisations, are planning to take to the streets on Monday in a national shutdown against load shedding and President Cyril Ramaphosa‘s leadership of the country.
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While the EFF has the right to show its discontent through protest, Mbalula said that the party was advocating for anarchy by trying to bring the country’s economy to a standstill.
“Shutdowns are not a solution to resolving people’s problems in a democracy,” said Mbalula.
“To call for the country to shutdown, we condemn that. You are organising anarchy and lawlessness in a democratic dispensation because you want to woo political support and plant the seed for an insurrection, political strike in the country, or – if you like – an [Arab] spring.”
Mbalula was speaking on Wednesday during a media briefing in Mamelodi, northeast of Tshwane, where the ANC launched what it called ‘the people march’.
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The protest is expected to take place on Friday and is aimed at highlighting service delivery challenges in the City of Tshwane under the DA-led coalition.
Instead of calling for a national shutdown, Mbalula said the EFF should allow voters to have a say on Ramaphosa’s presidency and load shedding during next year’s much-anticipated general elections.
“Shutting down the economy that is ailing is rather overboard in terms of our democracy,” he said.
The ANC secretary-general added that the EFF will be held accountable should there be any loss of life or intimidation of citizens and business owners during their protests.
“No South African must be infringed from going to work and children going to school on Monday. It must be business as usual.
“Those who march must march. But to shut down the economy is anarchy at its highest order,” said Mbalula.
Meanwhile, the Democratic Alliance (DA) on Tuesday announced that it had filed an urgent interdict at the North Gauteng High Court to compel the EFF to stay within the confines of the law during its national shutdown.
The DA also laid charges against the EFF to hold the party accountable for any damage to people and property.
The EFF, on the other hand, has described the moves by the DA as racist and frivolous. The party denied that their protest will be characterised by violence and intimidation.
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