Local development forums have praised law enforcement officers for a stunning job during the ‘national shutdown’ on Monday 20 March.
Organised by the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), the shutdown called for an end to load shedding and for President Cyril Ramaphosa to exit office. The march saw thousands of EFF supporters take to the streets around the country.
Prior to the march, fears mounted that the protest would unleash violence and cripple the country’s already sluggish economy. Some businesses opted for a safer option and ceased operations on Monday.
However, when City Vision visited Site C taxi rank on Monday morning it was business as usual. The mini-bus taxis operated as usual while the informal traders continued their business.
Commenting on the protest and its impact on the community both Khayelitsha and Gugulethu development forums praised the officers for doing a great job. Not a single violent incident was reported they said.
Ndithini Tyhido, Khayelitsha Development Forum (KDF) chair, said all the local businesses operated as usual.
“Nothing was reported in the area. The police were on the ground monitoring the streets. It was quiet and everyone was behaving,” he said and thanked the community for cooperating.
Vincent Domingo, secretary of the Gugulethu Development Forum (GDF), praised EFF members for being disciplined. He said there were no gatherings or incidents of violence in the community. He said the strike was peaceful. “The law enforcement officers, including the neighbourhood watch members, did a great job to ensure that they keep our streets safe. They were all over Gugulethu. I think the shutdown demonstrated we could curb crime in our communities if we work as a unit,” said Domingo.
In a Whatsapp group, the City’s Mayco member for safety and security JP Smith had sent a message on Monday stating that Nyanga, Khayelitsha and Langa were all quiet – no violent incidents were reported.