EFF National Shutdown: Business Unity SA Calls on Law to Protect Citizens' Right Not to Participate in Protest

• The Economic Freedom Fighters' national shutdown is drawing buckets of criticism from many sectors in South Africa
• Non-profit organisation Business Unity South Africa has accused the EFF of trying to force all South Africans to participate in the protest by declaring no businesses will operate during the shutdown
• EFF leader Julius Malema vowed that the national shutdown would be peaceful and nobody would be threatened with violence

JOHANNESBURG - Business Unity South Africa (BUSA) has condemned forced participation in the EFF national shutdown on Monday, 20 March.

Busa CEO Cas Coovadia spoke on eNCA when he called on the "forces of law and order" to protect the rights of people who keep their businesses open and continue working during the nationwide protests.

Coovadia said that while Busa recognises the right to protest as enshrined in South Africa's constitution, the CEO denounced the EFF for threatening to force businesses to close their doors, claiming the party did not have the right to do so.

Read also

Opposition political parties to join forces to remove ANC from power in 2024 elections

EFF accused of threatening businesses that stay open during national shutdown with looting

Busa's condemnation of the Red Berets comes as the EFF members allegedly advised business owners to stop operating during Monday's protest, lest they want their establishments to be looted, TimesLIVE reported.

Opposition parties like the Democratic Alliance have spoken out against the EFF. The party vowed to prevent violence and intimidation during the protest by filing for an interdict.

EFF leader Julius Malema has slammed the DA for accusing the EFF of intimidation and violence. Malema said that the party was merely pandering to its funders to make it look like it was defending President Cyril Ramaphosa.

Malema promised that the national shutdown would be a nonviolent demonstration calling for an end to loadshedding and Ramaphosa's resignation.

Read also

Fikile Mbalula questions EFF’s pro-poor stance, says national shutdown will affect the impoverished the most

South Africans divided by EFF's looming national shutdown

While some believe the national shutdown is only being opposed because the EFF organised it, others say citizens have the right not to participate.

Below are some comments:

@SidimaMM criticised:

"We tolerate taxi strikes, DA shutdowns, unions, etc. It's only a problem when it's headed by the EFF."

@Sasha2648 said:

"Show them the force of the law! Strike but don’t force others and impact their livelihoods! Arrest and charge all those criminals who burn, destroy and loot! In fact, the leadership must be held accountable."

Katleho James

"Business will eventually shut down because of loadshedding."

Gladia Maphurela

"I never heard someone say force business to close besides forcing ANC to listen to us."

Thato Matile

"This useless Business Unity should be at the front because loadshedding is affecting them unless they all benefit from it."

@Thami_Hintsa asked:

"How will the national shutdown bring electricity?"

Read also

Duduzile Zuma and Carl Niehaus vow to participate in EFF’s looming national shutdown, urging SA to follow suit

@Stash629 claimed:

"Yes, there shouldn't be a #NationalShutdown coz the working class wants to go to work."

Fikile Mbalula questions EFF’s pro-poor stance, says national shutdown will affect the impoverished the most

In a related story, Briefly News reported that ANC Secretary General Fikile Mbalula has poked holes in the Economic Freedom Fighters' pro-poor stance ahead of the party's national shutdown on Monday, 20 March.

Speaking at the media briefing, Mbalula said that the group that would pay the ultimate price for the protest would be South Africa's most vulnerable, the poor.

Mbalula said:

"Big businesses in this country will not be affected. The poorest of the poor in this country who are actually struggling as we speak in this economy are going to suffer with that shutdown."

Source: Briefly News