The Western Cape EFF provincial leadership says it is not backing down from its planned national shutdown amid the DA’s legal threats against it.
The DA said its leader John Steenhuisen will announce tomorrow at a press conference in Parliament urgent legal steps against the EFF’s planned national shutdown, as well as a mechanism to empower South African nationals to hold any EFF member accountable for any and all damage inflicted upon public and private property.
"Threats of violence, intimidation, and vandalism by the EFF ahead of the party’s planned national shutdown place the well-being of South Africa’s limping economy in peril, and the lives and livelihoods of the South African people at grave risk. Law-abiding citizens cannot be forced to sacrifice their businesses, income, and their children’s education at the altar of EFF thuggery," said the DA in a statement.
Wadile Kabisi, spokesperson for the EFF in the Western Cape, said the party were not intimidated by the DA’s lawsuit threats and were not backing down from their planned shutdown.
"This is a march against load shedding, which affects everyone, including businesses, which are severely affected by the country's power crises, this is a march to demand the president to step down, unemployment, poverty; and against the impoundments of taxis, in which the DA continue to intimidate the taxi industry in the province.
“If the DA wants to sue us for our constitutional right to picket, so be it; we will cross that bridge when we get there," said Kabisi.
Kabisi said the party has not threatened to unleash violence on anyone and has invited everyone to march with them as everyone is affected by load shedding.
The EFF’s national shutdown is planned to take place on Monday, March 20.
At the briefing, Steenhuisen will be joined by the DA’s national security adviser, Natasha Mazzone, the party’s national spokesperson on defence, Kobus Marais and its national spokesperson, Solly Malatsi.