NATIONAL SHUTDOWN: Crowds protest across Joburg
JOBURG – Residents have turned up in their numbers to protest against President Jacob Zuma.
Residents are marching all over Joburg, after a call was made for a national shutdown through many protests against President Jacob Zuma.
Around 10 000 protesters are expected at the DA’s march at Mary Fitzgerald Square, while residents have also gathered at Beyers Naudé Drive, the Roosevelt Park substation, Hendrik Potgieter Road in Roodepoort, Witkoppen Road, and along Conrad Drive in Blairgowrie today.
Residents have blocked two lanes of traffic on Beyers Naudé Drive, heading south past the substation. Traffic is extremely slow.
Thousands have marched along Beyers Naudé Drive to the bridge above the N1 Highway.
Col Siegrist says they are here to make sure everyone is safe and secure @randburg_sun #FreedomFriday beyer Naude pic.twitter.com/cWStQmxqZI
— Ashtyn Mackenzie (@AshtynMackenzie) April 7, 2017
Even Anonymous is here @randburg_sun @RoodepoortNorth beyers naude march pic.twitter.com/83NlSqVOtI
— Ashtyn Mackenzie (@AshtynMackenzie) April 7, 2017
Carola Trummer, one of the organisers of the Beyers Naudé Drive march, explained that the march is “non-political and non-racial, but [a] peaceful people’s movement”.
Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (Outa) CEO Wayne Duvenage has also joined this march.
Sophiatown Community Policing Forum (CPF) public relations officer, Matthew van der Merwe said he expected hundreds to turn up at the CPF’s march from the Roosevelt Park substation.
“We need to start uniting all our communities to stand up against poverty, unemployment, crime and corruption, astronomical tertiary costs, and not leave it to only those whom it affects,” he said
Residents have been posting scenes with the hashtags #AntiZumaMarches #MarchforChange #WeSAenough, #OUTA and #SaveSouthAfrica.
The great buildup
Outa joined the call for mass protests, but asked residents to protest peacefully, non-disruptively and responsibly. “Jacob Zuma must go. It’s as simple as that. He has pushed the envelope too far this time. He is damaging our economy and the longer he stays in power, the more difficult it will be for our economy to recover,” Duvenage said.
The national government earlier in the week tweeted, “We have noted social media messages which call for a shutdown of the country on Friday,” and, “Government assures all South Africans that Friday 7th April, is a normal working day.”
Government assures all South Africans that Friday, 7th April, is a normal working day.
— South African Government (@GovernmentZA) April 3, 2017
#SAUnites on Beyers Naude.#zumamustfall pic.twitter.com/huEdNnjbBi
— Andrew Larkins (@andrewlarkins) April 7, 2017
Reshuffling of cabinet
Zuma’s reshuffling of cabinet last week included the firing of Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan and Deputy Finance Minister Mcebisi Jonas.
The president was widely criticised for his decision to reshuffle cabinet with some members of the ANC and opposition political parties calling for his resignation. South Africa was also downgraded to junk status after the announcement.
Also read:
Join Beyers Naudé Drive #WeSAenough march
DA applies for permission for 10 000 people to protest in Joburg
A peaceful protest for Roosevelt
Ward 117 councillor provides logistics for Friday march in Jhb CBD
Outa joins call to remove Zuma
Watch over our animals this #FreedomFriday
Tech Thursday: How to use social media for activism
