Cape Town - Drakenstein Municipality urged any business, organisation or institution in the area to lay complaints to SAPS against the EFF following information that there is a possibility of violence and looting that might take place during the national shutdown organised by the party on March 20.
Social media has been buzzing since the EFF made a public announcement about the march, especially over an apparent warning to business owners advising them not to operate on the day due to possible looting.
Government entities have been taking action to prevent possible acts of violence.
Drakenstein Municipality has urged those who might be affected to lay complaints of intimidation.
Mayor Conrad Poole, said: “The safety of our people and business community is of utmost importance to us. Any form of violence, looting, damage to property or intimidation is unacceptable and cannot be tolerated.
“Such threats should be registered with SAPS immediately. The municipality is obtaining legal advice about opposing the threat of a national shutdown.
“Working together with the SAPS and its other partners in the Drakenstein Smart Safety Network, the Municipality’s Law Enforcement and Traffic Services divisions will be on full alert.
“In the meanwhile, it will be business as usual in Drakenstein on Monday for our long weekend visitors, visiting friends and family, as well as our working community,” said Poole.
Premier Alan Winde said: “Threats of violence, looting of businesses, intimidation, and disruption of services are totally unacceptable. The EFF has the constitutional right to protest, but it is intolerable for them to threaten the constitutional rights of other citizens, especially where essential services such as individual safety, healthcare, and education are concerned.
“This protest, as misguided as it is, should only proceed within the law.
“Videos of EFF members and party leader Julius Malema circulating on social media are tantamount to threats of unrest and incitement of violence. I will not stand for this.”
EFF spokesperson Wandile Kasibe said: “We haven’t called anyone to violence, nor looting of the shops. We we have been in conversations with businesses, taxi industry, school and other factions of society… explaining and outlining the reasons and rationale for this particular shutdown.
“What we have been observing is that people are parading this violence narrative, they are basically taking our national shutdown out of context,” said Kasibe.