Chaos as EFF march to legislature

JOBURG – The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) march to the Gauteng legislature ended in violence as rubber bullets and stun grenades were fired.

July 23, 2014

Afrika Mdolomba 1 minute read

Police escort an EFF member accused of looting shops.

Despite resistance by police, about 50 EFF members managed to storm into the building on Rissik Street before the doors were locked to prevent others from getting in. They occupied the corridors of the building for several hours and refused to vacate until their members of the legislature, who had been kicked out on 1 July for wearing overalls which had party insignia on them, were reinstated.

Commander-in-chief, Julius Malema who was among those who managed to get inside the building, said their members of parliament and provincial legislatures wore overalls and domestic worker uniforms “in solidarity with the poorest of the poor who are being exploited by white monopoly capital”.

EFF members pushed police officers as they tried to gain entry into to the room where debates were underway. Malema and his followers sat on the floor and refused to leave, while other members gathered outside.

Chaos erupted shortly after Malema said, “There is no policeman [that] will touch us. This is a legislature, not a crime scene. We have a right to be here.” Police and EFF members clashed, stun grenades were fired and EFF members were forced out of the building which at this point, was filled with smoke. More clashes occurred outside when police fired rubber bullets as EFF members retaliated by throwing bottles.

EFF members scattered through Johannesburg CBD, and some looted some shops and vending stalls, emptied trash cans on the streets and burned rubbish bins. Malema claimed police had used force unnecessarily on “unarmed” protesters.

Police later escorted EFF members who walked up Rissik Street, back to Braamfontein where their buses were waiting for them.