“Their baseless claim of intimidation and predicted violence is part and parcel of the DA’s racist philosophical outlook, which depends strongly on the supposed irrationality of black people and the racist presumption that African people have no capacity to express themselves in a peaceful manner.”
The UDM, South African Federation of Trade Unions, Pan-Africanist Congress of Azania and Land Party are among the organisations that have said they intend to participate.
The EFF said the DA’s attempt to single out the red berets and frame the national shutdown as the sole preserve of the party was deliberate.
“The DA has realised the EFF remains its only ideological enemy and a direct threat to its status as the official opposition party. Their legal action is doomed for failure because it lacks basis and is a poor publicity stunt to appeal to an anti-democratic, right-wing constituency,” it said.
EFF hits back at DA’s ‘frivolous legal action’ against national shutdown
Image: Alaister Russell
The EFF has responded to what it calls the DA’s “frivolous legal action” against the party’s national shutdown on Monday.
The DA launched legal action against “intimidation and threats of violence” allegedly peddled by the EFF across the country ahead of the shutdown.
Official opposition party leader John Steenhuisen said the DA was concerned about the EFF’s “intimidatory tactics” and threats of “consequences” for any businesses trading on the day.
The EFF said the DA legal action was an anti-democratic publicity stunt that proved the DA “seeks to salvage the Cyril Ramaphosa presidency as a proxy of its neoliberal policy outlook”.
The party denied the national shutdown was illegal and would be characterised by violence. It said mobilisation of people to support the protests was not based on intimidation.
“This is false, as the right to protest is enshrined in the constitution and will not only be practised by the EFF, but multiple stakeholders who have expressed their intention to form part of the shutdown,” said the EFF.
Security measures in place in eThekwini ahead of national shutdown
“Their baseless claim of intimidation and predicted violence is part and parcel of the DA’s racist philosophical outlook, which depends strongly on the supposed irrationality of black people and the racist presumption that African people have no capacity to express themselves in a peaceful manner.”
The UDM, South African Federation of Trade Unions, Pan-Africanist Congress of Azania and Land Party are among the organisations that have said they intend to participate.
The EFF said the DA’s attempt to single out the red berets and frame the national shutdown as the sole preserve of the party was deliberate.
“The DA has realised the EFF remains its only ideological enemy and a direct threat to its status as the official opposition party. Their legal action is doomed for failure because it lacks basis and is a poor publicity stunt to appeal to an anti-democratic, right-wing constituency,” it said.
The EFF also accused the DA of treating the Western Cape as a province separate from South Africa.
“The DA cannot and will not stop the overwhelming frustration and pain of our people in defence of Cyril Ramaphosa, and these frustrations will be felt on our streets on March 20.”
LISTEN | EFF threats to shut businesses and schools cannot go unchecked — DA
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DA vows to reject and prevent EFF violence ahead of 'national shutdown'
WATCH | EFF warns businesses to close on day of national shutdown to avoid possible looting
LISTEN | EFF threats to shut businesses and schools cannot go unchecked: Steenhuisen
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