Protesters shut down the launch of Pieter-Louis Myburgh's 'Gangster State' in Exclusive Books, Sandton City Mall, 9 April 2019. Picture: Screengrab
“They can’t call us k****r anymore, now they call us corrupt!”
This was one of the slogans a group of protesters shouted tonight as they laid siege to the Exclusive Books branch in Sandton City Mall in Johannesburg, where Pieter-Louis Myburgh’s explosive new book, Gangster State: Unravelling Ace Magashule’s Web of Capture, was being launched by Penguin Random House South Africa.
Author Myburgh was just starting to answer questions from discussion leader Mondli Makhanya, City Press editor-in-chief, when protesters stormed into the store.
What started out as a very well-attended function in the upmarket mall, descended into chaos when the protesters disrupted proceedings by singing loudly, taking out “Stratcom State” posters and waving them about.
Mall security was called but it made no difference as protesters grabbed copies of the book, ripped them apart and tore pages from the books, scattering them on the floor. Some of the protesters were escorted off the premises as mall security alarms were activated.
Security riot back-up was called and launch attendees started streaming from the store, with protesters shouting, “Go! Go! Why are you prosecuting Ace Magashule?”
Some of the protesters then took their singing and chanting into the mall, where Exclusive Books CEO Grattan Kirk tried to reason with them. This did not stop the chanting and singing, and in the end the store’s doors were closed.
The actions of the protesters have been widely condemned on social media.
(Compiled by Carina Koen.)
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