Save South Africa to stage ‘People’s Assembly Against State Capture’

The Save South Africa campaign is to stage a “People’s Assembly Against State Capture” in Pretoria on November 2 to protest against what it calls attempts to loot the country’s resources.

It said on Sunday protests will be taking place outside the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court where Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan is due to appear with former SARS employees Oupa Magashule and Ivan Pillay “for charges which appear at best spurious or at worst politically motivated”.

The People’s Assembly‚ which starts at 8am on November 2‚ will include marches and pickets outside court. In addition‚ faith-based groups are planning night vigils on the evening of November 1. “We have been approached by a number of interested parties‚ including civil society organisations‚ trade unions‚ faith based bodies‚ business‚ foundations established in honour of our leaders and individuals to coordinate the initiatives on November 2‚ to ensure there is maximum impact and a consolidated civil society voice across party political lines and ideological differences‚” Save South Africa said on Sunday.

The Save South Africa campaign is encouraging people from all walks of life to show their support on the day by wearing doeks‚ bandanas‚ armbands or t-shirts portraying the South African flag. “Civil society and other formations will be making their voice heard in Pretoria‚ but we urge people to join in wherever they are‚ in their own personal way - by staging protests or pickets outside their workplace or in other public spaces‚ and wearing the South African flag‚” Save South Africa said.

“We must send a strong message that when our sovereignty is threatened we are able to transcend our differences in defence of the motherland. “Attacks on National Treasury are nothing less than an unbridled attempt at further state capture‚ and designed to get unfettered access to state resources. “This is a crucial moment in our history‚ and we should use it to demonstrate that we will not allow corruption to continue. The looting must stop. Integrity must rise.”