Pretoria - Thousands of supporters of the EFF, DA and Save South Africa are expected to march through the streets of Pretoria on Wednesday.
The EFF will march from Church Square, and the DA from Princess Park Street, while Save South Africa will gather at the corner of Bosman and Frances Baard streets.
All demonstrations will start at 8am and end at 3pm, say the metro police, who believe the marches to be destined for the Pretoria Magistrate's Court. The city police will be monitoring all streets affected by the marches.
Traffic in the CBD was expected to come to a standstill, said Senior Superintendent Isaac Mahamba, spokesman for the metro police.
“Motorists are advised to avoid the affected streets and use alternative routes such as Nana Sita, Visagie, Es’kia Mphahlele and Boom streets,” he said.
He said marchers would use WF Nkomo Street, pass Bosman Street, turn left into Sophie de Bruyn Street, pass Pretorius Street and then turn left into Frances Baard Street.
Growing concerns of state capture and calls for the immediate resignations of National Prosecuting Authority boss Shaun Abrahams and President Jacob Zuma are central to the demands of the marchers.
EFF leader Julius Malema told his supporters outside the Gauteng High Court, Pretoria, on Tuesday that every street in the city would be teeming with people from different corners of the country. Marchers would include ANC supporters from KwaZulu-Natal, he said.
Malema assured the march would be peaceful, but added he could not guarantee the safety of properties in the heart of the capital. “Police must not come close to us because they remind us of the painful past.”
Malema said the government was in the hands of criminals. “Our government is run by the mafia.”
He said Zuma had completely failed the people. “To prevent poverty we must remove Zuma.”
He stressed the need for parents to join the campaign for free education. “Parents must not complain about the kids who are protesting. They are doing it for their parents.”
He said there was no planned destination for the march. “When we feel like going to the Union Buildings, we will go there,” he said.
The Save South Africa campaign march takes place under the banner of “people’s assembly against state capture”.
Spokeswoman Ntsiki Mpulo said the assembly would take place from 8.30am at the St Albans Cathedral on Frances Baard Street.
The march would be about the celebration of significant contributions to the public campaign to stop attempts to capture the National Treasury.
During the march, Save South Africa would outline the intensification of its campaign against state capture. It will be joined by labour, business, faith-based organisations and professional groups opposed to state capture.
The organisation will also step up calls for the state capture report to be made public.
rapula.moatshe@inl.co.za
Pretoria News