SA SHUTDOWN UPDATES: South Africa ‘burns’ as Ramaphosa vows to deal with protesters

Things not looking good in South Africa as police, protesters lock horns in encounters with several people arrested, as most people heed the call by Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) call for national shutdown.

In most towns and cities it is not business as usual, with shops closed.

Elsewhere, students from Walter Sisulu University, Fort Hare and Buffalo City College descended upon the East London CBD, moving to Belgravia, before proceeding to Southernwood.

As News24 reports a bus has been hijacked, other buses have been stoned and passengers have fled for their lives, forcing transport company Putco to temporarily suspend its services during the EFF’s planned shutdown.

Meanwhile, President Cyril Ramaphosa has vowed to deal with any mischief as he deploys police and soldiers onto the streets.

“To make communities safer, government has increased capacity of law enforcement and investigative entities to fight crime and bring perpetrators to justice. This is a key achievement of the #SONA2023 commitments.

“All South Africans have the right to a safe environment.

“Government has worked to protect this right through improved infrastructure to better people’s lives,” said Ramaphosa’s office.

Speaking earlier on, Ramaphosa said:

“South Africa is governed by the rule of law. We are a constitutional democracy. Disorder and anarchy will not be allowed in South Africa.

“The rights enshrined in our Constitution cannot be taken for granted. Too many lives have been lost and too many people have suffered so that we may all be protected by a Bill of Rights that applies to all laws and that is the cornerstone of our democracy.”

Zwnews