EFF Shutdown: Bheki Cele Says 87 People Arrested, Soweto Butchery Bombed and 24k Tyres Confiscated Nationwide

• The Economic Freedom Fighters' national shutdown is in full swing in many areas across South Africa
• Police Minister Bheki Cele said that 87 people have been arrested for alleged acts of public violence so far
• The suspects were arrested for blocking roads, starting fires and preventing non-protesting citizens from going to work

JOHANNESBURG - Streets across South Africa are filling up with protestors as EFF members and supporters heed Julius Malema's call to join his party's national shutdown on Monday, 20 February.

Protests across the country started early, with some people clad in EFF regalia hitting the streets early on Sunday evening.

SAPS arrest 87 and confiscate 24 300 tyres as EFF national shutdown commences

According to Police Minister Bheki Cele, by 6am on Monday, 87 people had been arrested for alleged acts of public violence connected to the national shutdown, SowetanLIVE reported.

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Cele addressed the media in Mayfair, Johannesburg, when he revealed that the lion's share of the arrests occurred in Gauteng.

Cele also revealed that a butchery in Dube, Soweto was allegedly petrol bombed during the early hours of Sunday morning.

The police minister added that police collected 24 300 tyres across the country, most of which, around 10 000, were collected in the Eastern Cape.

Bheki Cele claims that arrested suspects were engaging in activities of public violence

Police Minister Cele alleges that the people who were arrested were caught red-handed making fires, blocking roads and trying to stop people from going to work.

This is directly against the interdict issued by the Johannesburg High Court on Saturday, 18 March, which barred the EFF and its protesting members and supporters from blocking roads or disrupting economic activity, EWN reported.

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Cele claimed that police on the ground used minimum force and stun guns to disperse protestors and defuse the situation.

Community members are allegedly also on the ground assisting police in preventing the widespread looting of shops.

South Africans celebrate SAPS for arresting EFF protestors who reportedly engaged in public violence

Here's what South Africans are saying:

@mister50411 claimed:

"Looks like the state won this one. Rapid law enforcement. Zero tolerance. #NationalShutdown is a failure."

@Amplitorque added:

"Attacking a butchery doesn't appear to be a peaceful protest, now, based on the evidence of this attack and alleged Nhlanhla Lux house being petrol bombed, the protest is no longer a peaceful protest but an attack on law-abiding citizens."

@Tlhabz1 demanded:

"Malema must be personally sued for the damage to property."

@Tj2046 said:

"Serve them with criminal records too."

@ESNK commented

"That number is low. Arrest more, we don't seem to be able to move here."

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National shutdown: EFF gets shutdown going early in Chatsworth, Durban, man nabbed for distributing tyres

National shutdown: North West people gathered debris to block roads during mass protest despite court interdict

Earlier, Briefly News reported that North West police claimed that some people had already gathered debris to block roads well before the EFF's national shutdown was due to start.

This is even though the Johannesburg High Court interdicted the Economic Freedom Fighters and its members, employees and supporters from shutting down schools, trade and public roads.

North West Deputy Police Commissioner General Patrick Asaneng said that police in the province would ensure that roads aren't barricaded and services aren't disrupted during the protest, SABC News reported.

Source: Briefly News