CITY officials are yet to give the go ahead to a mass march due to take place this Friday, 7 April in Durban. The DA is expected to meet with City officials today to discuss the matter. The DA’s provincial communications manager, Philisiwe Sefatsa, said the party has made all the necessary applications for the march.
For days, social media has been swirling about a nationwide shutdown by civil society, intended for Friday. The viral messages were in response to the axing of former finance minister Pravin Gordhan in a Thursday night cabinet reshuffle by president, Jacob Zuma. The calls being made online were for Jacob Zuma to step down.
Sefatsa said, “We are calling on all members of civil society, every citizen that is dissatisfied with current state of the nation, to join the march.”
The provincial communications manager went on to say that the DA had extended invitations to other political parties in the hope that Friday’s protest would be a multiparty event. “We are expecting a large turnout on by both ordinary people and organisations from across the spectrum,” Sefatsa added.
The government responded on Monday to the calls saying that ‘Friday is a normal working day’. Government spokesperson, Donald Liphoko said, “While 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 social media messages are sent to bring the image of South Africa into disrepute, to disturb the economy and to create the impression of disorder and fear in communities.”
John Steenhuisen, the DA’s National Assembly Chief Whip, is expected to appear at Friday’s protest.
Current plans for the march is for people to meet at 9am by the Durban Circus site – opposite the old Durban drive-in, on the corner of Sandile Thusi (Argyle) Road and the M4 Ruth First Highway. The march will proceed to Ampitheatre Park along Durban’s North Beach, and back to the gathering point.
