Rise Mzansi has been notified that it was not permitted to hold an event outside the offices of Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi due to a national security issue.
According to Rise Mzansi Gauteng Premier Candidate Vuyiswa Ramokgopa on Monday, the party was planning to host a weekend-long event to reveal its ambitions for Gauteng.
“On April 4, during a Joint Operations Committee (JOC) meeting where members of the RISE Mzansi National Campaign Team presented plans for an event scheduled for next week, City of Johannesburg officials rejected our request to hold an event outside the Gauteng Premier’s Office.”
Ramokgopa stated that JMPD officials declined to give them a written letter, stating that no political events were allowed outside the Premier’s office because it was a national key point.
Rise Mzansi strongly condemned the move, saying it amounted to political interference and intimidation by government officials in Gauteng. “Such actions, citing the repealed National Key Points Act to block events, are deemed violations of South Africans' rights enshrined in the Constitution.”
The party emphasised the need for accountability and called for new leaders committed to upholding the rule of law and serving communities.
“The official from the city cited the repealed National Key Points Act, stating that political events are not allowed at the Office of the Premier due to its alleged status as a ‘National Key Point’.
“When requested to provide this reasoning in writing on city letterhead, the official responded with rudeness and dismissiveness. Rise Mzansi condemned this as a serious instance of political manipulation and intimidation.”
Ramokgopa urged Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi to intervene in the case.
She called on Lesufi to publicly distance himself from the political shenanigans of the City of Johannesburg, the JMPD, and the JOC, the custodian of events in Johannesburg.
The Star reached out to the JMPD for comment on the matter, but by the time of publication, no comment was received.