'I am enslaved by this regime' Protesters seek coloured inclusion

A newly established organisation‚ the Gauteng Shutdown Coordinating Committee (GSCC)‚ on Tuesday called for the inclusion of coloured people in South Africa's economic policies.

"Not even one person from our community is in [President Cyril] Ramaphosa's cabinet‚" said the group's spokesperson‚ Anthony Williams.

The group marched to the Johannesburg Stock Exchange to deliver a notice of demands on Tuesday.

"We are just registering‚ to say we are here. The next time we come back‚ hell will break loose‚" he said.

The group said it had targeted the JSE because it was a "powerhouse" and it wanted to hold it "accountable".

"We want to know how many coloured people are employed in the JSE-listed companies‚ provide us with reports and audits‚" Williams said.

"We are asking them [JSE] to be responsive. We are giving them seven days to respond to our demands."

The group threatened to cut the "economic blood flow" of the JSE-listed companies if it failed to adhere to its time frame.

"If this government does not take us seriously‚ we will mobilise the international community to impose sanctions‚" added Williams.

JSE marketing manager Mpho Ledwaba received and signed the letter. Ledwaba said they would study the letter and revert in due course. He did not commit to responding within the stipulated seven days.

While the march was attended by a handful of members‚ Williams said he was pleased with the turnout.

"For now we brought community representatives of 13 coloured communities across Gauteng‚ so we are pleased with the outcome."

Keith Duarte‚ an Eldorado Park representative‚ said: "I am economically enslaved by this regime. There is not a single economic hub in our coloured communities. We are saying enough is enough. Even when we apply for jobs‚ ours CVs are thrown away and our children do not even get financial assistance from institutions of [higher learning] because of our skin colour."

The group has also vowed to embark on a Blood Friday March to seek justice for a woman who was shot dead in apparent gang violence in Westbury.