Durban Chamber of Commerce against proposed National Shutdown

THE Durban Chamber of Commerce and Industry NPC said it condemns the proposed national shutdown, which is scheduled to take place next week Monday, March 20.

The shutdown has been called for by the political party, the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), over the electricity crisis, service-delivery issues and what they refer to as the ‘mis-leadership’ of President Cyril Ramaphosa. They have also called for the resignation of the president.

The EFF has now been joined by the South African Federation of Trade Unions (SAFTU) who will lend their voice to the shutdown.

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Prasheen Maharaj, president of The Durban Chamber of Commerce and Industry NPC, said they believe the shutdown has the potential to not only derail but also further harm an economy that is currently in critical condition.

“Businesses are trying to survive, and some are trying to resume their business operations following the 2021 July Unrest and April/May 2022 floods, even with the current state of the economy due to the energy, water and sanitation crises. We believe a crisis cannot be resolved by using the proposed approach of a shutdown. Ours is to preserve the economy and protect the sustainability of businesses,” Maharaj said.

“The threat of a national shutdown has the potential to encourage acts of violence and potential vandalism on property and businesses, which is unlawful. Technically, it’s also a form of intimidation to the highest degree, and displaying an intention to commit violence and intimidation is a criminal offence. We firmly believe if left unchecked and not acted upon by the government with urgency, it will send out the wrong message and give criminals the ‘licence’ to loot, intimidate and destroy,” he said.

The chamber also called for a coordinated plan between private security, Metro Police and the SAPS to stop any lawless behaviour.

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