EFF supporters claim ‘shutdown success’ in Honeydew protest

‘We don’t need thousands — three fighters are enough,’ says protester

20 March 2023 - 12:15
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EFF supporters from Zandspruit and Honeydew participate in the national shutdown in Cosmo City.
EFF supporters from Zandspruit and Honeydew participate in the national shutdown in Cosmo City.
Image: MASI LOSI

About 40 EFF protesters gathered at the Honeydew police station in Roodepoort on Monday morning to take part in the party's national shutdown.

“They were supposed to be picked up by transport to continue their protest in Tshwane but no transport arrived at the two appointed locations,” a uniformed police officer told TimesLIVE.

The march continued through Cosmo City. “They will now march to a point, do a U-turn and then continue back the way they came.”

Protesters, however, told TimesLIVE they saw the morning as a resounding success.

EFF communications officer Tiyiselani Chauke said he is satisfied. “Our members have shown their discipline. There has been no violence or damage to property. As you can see, all businesses belonging to people who support us are closed, but we will not force others to close down,” he told TimesLIVE.

“We are here to demand the end of load-shedding as well as Ramaphosa.”

He claims load-shedding is a “man-made problem”.

“When it was Sona [state of the nation address] the load-shedding was switched off. Yesterday seven power stations miraculously returned to capacity. So this load-shedding thing has eyes — it saw the EFF coming.”

Protester Brighton Mudau, 35, took a break from singing to have a word with TimesLIVE.

“Today is a great success. It is a good feeling, being part of the process and using our democratic right to protest,” Mudau said while holding one side of a banner reading “Ramaphosa must go”.

“We are fighting for our future, while others are too afraid to leave the house. Ramaphosa can see all his cities took notice of the fighters and shut down. We don’t need thousands in the streets — three fighters are enough.”

Field marketer Selby Mabasa, 35, said he believes they made their point.

“Ramaphosa now knows how wide the unhappiness spreads about him and load-shedding,” he said.

HR practitioner Ndeleka M, 41, was impressed with her fellow fighters’ discipline.

“If you look at this street, you will notice most businesses are closed down,” she said. “We now have cops on every corner. Where are these extra police on other days when we need them?”

LISTEN | EFF 'proud of the youth' participating in national shutdown

TimesLIVE

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