Johannesburg - EFF leader Julius Malema has accused the DA of a plot to install agents provocateurs to sabotage its upcoming national shutdown set for Monday, March 20.
However, the DA denied Malema’s allegations; national spokesperson Solly Malatsi described the utterances as “absolutely rubbish”.
Among those who have joined the EFF-led protest are UDM, ATM, Saftu, and many other political and civil formations that have pledged their support for the shutdown.
This comes after the DA said it was concerned that the protest would turn violent following social media footage of members of the EFF threatening to loot businesses.
“We are deeply concerned by the intimidatory tactics being employed by members of the EFF, who are threatening ‘consequences’ for any business that dares to open and trade on the day, and for any adult or child who dares to go to work or school on that day,” DA leader John Steenhuisen said.
Malema said he has learned that the DA has hired agents provocateurs to undermine the national shutdown, adding that their stance shows that the DA is willing to protect President Cyril Ramaphosa, who is responsible for the country’s endless load shedding and crippling unemployment rate, which have affected the country’s economy. They say they are interdicting violence, which has never happened.
“Anyone who says we have threatened violence is not telling the truth because we have not threatened violence. All we did was be nice to all the stakeholders because that is the nature and character of the EFF. We have been made aware that the DA has hired agents provocateurs who are going to be planted among the protesters of the EFF so that they can undermine the peaceful protest of the EFF,” Malema said.
Malema said the EFF has no history of violent protests and said the only time violence will erupt on Monday would be if members of the EFF are provoked by the police and the agents who will be sent by the DA in a bid to sabotage its protest on Monday.
“John Steenhuisen knows he cannot stop the EFF. The DA is saying every protest involving black people will turn violent. The only difference is that this march does not involve a white man. Now that the white man is not taking part, there is going to be violence,” he added.
Malema also said he has been reliably informed of a plot by Gauteng police commissioner Fannie Masemola to use police brutality to force a reaction from EFF members.
“National Police Commissioner (Fannie) Masemola is planning violence against EFF members. We have members of the police who belong to the EFF who have told us that Masemola is planning to use heavy-handedness to deal with the EFF against the advice of his minister,“ Malema added.
National police spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe said that while the SAPS does not discuss operational plans and decisions in the public domain, as the National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure (NATJOINTS), they assure South Africans that they have put measures in place to prevent and combat any form of criminality.
“Law enforcement agencies are on high alert to respond to any incident. There will be no national shutdown, but we know of a planned protest. Law enforcement agencies will execute their duties within the confines of the law. All law enforcement agencies will apply the minimum force that is reasonable and necessary, depending on the circumstances on the ground,“ Mathe said.
Malema said the national protest will not be stopped and will go on as planned, adding that those who doubted the EFF’s ability to pull off the protest are now trying to sabotage amid threats of violence.
“They thought March 20 would never come, and now that it is here, they are now saying it will collapse the economy, which has already been sabotaged by Ramaphosa,” he said.
The Star