Note to Editors: Find linked soundbites in English and Afrikaans by Leon Basson MP
The DA in North West would like to assure residents across the province that we will stand firm and do everything in our power, and use every mechanism available to us, to ensure that the North West Provincial Government maintains law and order during the EFF’s petty protest next Monday.
Every DA North West member of Parliament, the Provincial Legislature and all Councillors will be ready to address and escalate any incidents that could threaten the lives, livelihoods and property of residents. We are available and will maintain open lines of communication between residents, the SAPS, the Provincial Police Commissioner, Lt Gen Sello Kwena, the North West MEC for Community Safety, Sello Lehari, and Premier Bushy Maape.
The EFF in North West has not applied under the Gatherings Act or any of the applicable by-laws in any municipality to protest on Monday, yet it found the time and the resources to circulate letters of intimidation to businesses across the province. The DA has already taken legal action to interdict the EFF’s illegal protest action.
The violent rhetoric by EFF members has no place in a constitutional democracy. It seeks to fuel violence, destruction, and chaos, while absolving themselves from any responsibility and accountability. This behaviour is grossly irresponsible and defeatist.
The ANC over the last 25 years has managed to destroy the economy, increase unemployment, entrench poverty, and expanded inequality, yet while the EFF’s protest action seeks the resignation of President Cyril Ramaphosa, the EFF, at the same time, is in negotiations with the ANC on governing metros in Gauteng and other municipalities across the country.
The EFF is hellbent on igniting a fire through the exploitation of people’s desperation. This is fascist and populist politics that can only end in misery. The EFF would do well to to rethink its approach because, as the adage goes, “the revolution will eat its children.”
This week Julius Malema at a press briefing claimed that the protest action would be “peaceful” and the EFF “has no history of violence”. These are lies. The EFF has over the last few years employed intimidation and violence against identified targets. Some Clicks, Vodacom, and H&M stores have been ransacked, vandalised and even petrol bombed by EFF thugs.
It is for this reason that the DA has taken action. Yesterday, the DA Caucus Leader in the North West Legislature wrote to Premier Maape and Community Safety MEC Sello Lehari, requesting information on measures the provincial government and the SAPS have taken to ensure that law and order is maintained on Monday, and that any transgressions will be dealt with swiftly. Protestors who intimidate and/or resort to violence must be arrested and prosecuted.
While we reject the fearmongering of the EFF, we remain vigilant, and urge residents and community policing forums to do the same. Any incidents that may threaten the lives, livelihoods or property of any person, should be reported to the SAPS for immediate action.
The DA will monitor developments closely over the long weekend and we will hold the SAPS and government responsible for upholding the basic human rights, safety and security of North West residents as enshrined in the Constitution.
We do not need a national shutdown brought about by fascist toy soldiers. We have an election next year, and it is at the ballot box where residents can register their discontent with the ANC by voting in a DA-led national government. That is the beauty of democracy. Let’s use it.