Cape Town marches merge

17 December 2015 - 09:49 By Jan-Jan Joubert

Thousands of Capetonians sent a strong message against President Jacob Zuma and corruption‚ and in favour of Archbishop Desmond Tutu when three mass marches joined forces in the Mother City. "Zuma Must Fall" was spray-painted on to - and not removed for hours - from the walls of Parliament‚ and a massive "Zuma Must Fall" banner was left fastened to the parliamentary fence on the corner of Wale and Adderley streets in the city centre.The Day of Reconciliation in Cape Town was supposed to be celebrated with three distinct and seperately organised marches: The March with the Arch in Green Point‚ organised by mayor Patricia de Lille; a Corruption Must Fall march in the Company Gardens; and a Zuma Must Fall march in front of Parliament.When they combined‚ it created the biggest march in Cape Town since the Treatment Action Campaign march against President Thabo Mbeki's HIV/Aids policies in 2003‚ and the "Purple Shall Govern" march against the apartheid regime in 1989.When thousands of marchers from all social classes and races pitched for the Zuma Must Fall march‚ it was decided to join up with the Corruption Must Fall March.For many middle class Capetonians it was clearly their first mass march‚ and in the beginning they answered the battle cry of "Amandla!" with "Amandla!"‚ but they quickly wisened up and answered with "Awethu!"Tokai resident Peter Otzen used white picket fencing to keep his "Zuma Must Fall" banner aloft."I'm doing my liberal bit for change‚" he said‚ tongue firmly in cheek.The speeches against Zuma were not made by party-political representatives and a man adressing the crowd in an African Christian Democratic Party T-shirt was admonished.The marchers then decided to join the celebration in honour of Tutu‚ walking through the city centre‚ the gay village at De Waterkant and the residential area of Green Point - all very firm DA strongholds - to Green Point Stadium .Extraordinary scenes of workers shouting encouragement from their workplaces‚ whoops of support from restaurant patrons and the aged hanging precariously from flat windows voicing their agreement that Zuma must fall added to the message that it will yet again be heavy-going for the ANC in next year's local government elections in Cape Town.De Lille‚ who was enthustiacally cheered‚ said she welcomed the Corruption Must Fall and Zuma Must Fall marchers joining the March for the Arch."The people have come together in their diversity because they support what the Arch has always stood for. He has always spoken out against corruption and unprincipled leadership‚" De Lille said.The Reverend Mpho Tutu‚ speaking fro the frail archbishop‚ his wife and the family‚ thanked Cape Town for its support and reiterated that one must always know what you are fighting against‚ and what you are fighting for.The crowd dispersed orderly. No property was vandalised and there was a distinct absence of litter. – TMG Digital/Parliamentary Bureau..

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