On Wednesday February 12 clashes occurred between ANC supporters and police at a DA job rally in the Johannesburg Central Business District(CBD).
The DA jobs rally was originally meant to end in front of Luthuli House, but the party was only granted permission to go as far as Beyers Naude Square, situated one block away from the ANC headquarters.
The DA job rally wasn’t only about jobs but how the ruling party has mocked past leaders.
“And it is not only the jobless who have been betrayed. The dreams and sacrifices of great leaders like Chief Luthuli, Nelson Mandela and Thabo Mbeki, have been mocked by Jacob Zuma’s ANC,” said Zille.
Police told DA supporters to turn back from the square as it was too dangerous to occupy the area.
The ANC’s Jessie Duarte says her members are now extremely concerned about vigilante groups within the DA.
“This is deeply ironic considering the consistent threats of violence from the ANC ever since we announced our intention to conduct a lawful and peaceful march,” from DA press release.
She says leaders were informed the DA doesn’t have a memorandum to hand over to them and the purpose of the march is simply to create violent scenes at Luthuli House.
“We gather here at Beyers Naude Square, across the road from Luthuli House, the place where South Africa’s unemployed have been betrayed again and again,” said Helen Zille in her address at the job rally.
“We think that the DA has made an absolute fool of themselves, it’s very childish. Actually, if one can use the word – in political terms – it’s quite boorish.”
“Any security precautions we are taking are defensive, not offensive,” said Zille.
The ANC’s Jesse Duarte says to asked armed ANC members to be peaceful just minutes before chaos hit the streets of the CBD.
“The ANC will not ask anybody to clash with anybody but when you go to the streets, street rules apply,” said Duarte
At one point, Duarte and Treasurer General Zweli Mkhize approached several small ANC groups to call them back into line.
ANC members had bricks that was marked, ‘Run Zille, run.’
This is obviously a last ditch attempt by the ANC to stop the march. It is afraid that the DA will show how it has failed unemployed South Africans and that it has no credible plan to create real and sustainable jobs, said Zille at the rally.
Several stun grenades have been fired outside the Johannesburg Magistrates Court to disperse ANC supporters.
This is after ANC supporters started throwing petrol bombs and stones at the police.
DA job rally was diverted to Westgate Depot as ANC members started attacking some of the DA members.
A group of ANC supporters charged at the thousands of DA members who were approaching the square.
