The much-anticipated countrywide shutdown that was organized by the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) took place on Monday, March 20, putting the entire nation to a complete halt.
The unexpected turn of events saw a peaceful march with minimal destruction, contrary to the expectations of many who thought the shutdown would be fairly disruptive. More than 550 protesters were taken into custody, according to a national police spokeswoman named Brigadier Athlenda Mathe. These arrests were made on charges of public violence, harassment, damage to critical infrastructure, theft, and attempted looting.
According to Mathe, “Gauteng had the highest number of arrests with 149,” followed by “the Northern Cape which recorded the second highest number with 95 arrests,” “the Eastern Cape also saw 80 protestors arrested,” and “the Free State recorded the fourth highest number with 64 arrests.” She stated that authorities had repossessed at least 244,000 tires across the nation.
She stated that the tyres in question had been intentionally positioned for the purpose of committing illegal conduct. She stated that the National Joint 50minds.comtional and Intelligence Structure (Natjoints) is pleased with how the law enforcement agencies kept law and order during the incident.
“The South African National Defense Force’s secondary support role in assisting the work of the police by protecting critical infrastructure like ports of entry, toll roads, and harbors has also yielded positive results,” said Mathe. “This includes protecting critical infrastructure such as ports of entry, toll roads, and harbors.”
She also appreciated the help provided by the community police forums (CPF), neighborhood watches, and other community structures such as the transport sector, particularly the South African National Taxi Council (Santaco) and National Taxi Alliance (NTI).
According to the leader of the EFF, Julius Malema, they are satisfied with what was accomplished on the day. “You’ve done so incredibly well, comrades, regardless of whether or not the adversary appreciates it. We are grateful to you for your support of the government shutdown. We are grateful to you for having courage. We are grateful to you for not being afraid. They sought to terrify us when they placed more than 3,000 soldiers out on the streets, and they succeeded.”
According to Malema, it is not against the law to sell tyres in South Africa. “The practice of setting fire to tires is ingrained in South African protest culture. Individuals are burning their own tyres rather than the tyres provided by the government. We make no apology for the fact that we burned our tires “he remarked.
https://www.snl24.com/dailysun/news/watch-550-shutdown-protesters-arrested-243-000-tyres-seized-20230323
This content is written by newsara