No-show by ‘national shutdown’ protesters

A group of disgruntled people who threatened a national shutdown until President Jacob Zuma steps down were nowhere to be seen on Monday morning.

Tshwane Metro Police Department spokesperson Isaac Mahamba said officers had been placed in all the spots where a protest march was supposed to take place.

“We have not seen the protesters. Our officers are at Union Buildings and other parts of the city‚ ready for anything‚” said Mahamba on Monday.

The City of Tshwane confirmed over the weekend that it had received an application to protest but it was not approved as if failed to meet the regulations.

Marchers planned to arrive in the city using buses from all over the country. People were supposed to gather at the Putco depot in Marabastad at about 8am and then move to the Union Buildings from 10am‚ the city said.

Over the weekend‚ a group of people claiming to be members of the ANC and the SA Communist Party vowed to take to the streets and march to the Union Buildings in Pretoria to call for a national shutdown until Zuma was removed from office.

At a media briefing on Sunday‚ Hangwi Maumela‚ who claimed to be an ANC branch member in Sandton‚ called for all South Africans to down tools on Monday until Zuma was removed as president of the country.

"We want everyone‚ on Monday‚ to stay away from work until Zuma steps down‚" said Maumela.

Maumela said they would not leave the Union Buildings until Zuma was no longer president.

But the ANC in Johannesburg distanced itself from the group and the organisation’s national office said it had requested relevant structures to verify if the people were in deed ANC members. If that was the case‚ action would then the taken to deal with their conduct.

On Monday‚ a video shared by journalist Jonisayi Maromo showed Maumela trying to explain what actually happened to the national shutdown.

“It is private vehicles. It is an H1 Hyundai that came with the firearms. We believe that those people were coming from wherever. We are going to report the matter to the police station‚” Maumela explained.