ANC statement on EFF’s so-called shutdown

22 March 2023

As the nation marks the 63rd anniversary of the Sharpeville massacre and subsequently Human Rights Day, the African National Congress calls on all South Africans to make this Human Rights Month a month of active and patriotic citizenship.

The Sharpeville massacre is a reminder of the brutality of the apartheid regime. Our democracy and the freedoms we enjoy today are founded on the many sacrifices of brave heroes and heroines who confronted the undemocratic and despotic apartheid regime.

On Monday, 20 March 2023, the EFF staged a so-called shut down that was intended to paralyse the country and cripple the economy as a pretext to instigate insurrection and in essence undermine the ideals of the Human Rights Month. The so-called shutdown failed to materialise because South Africans refused to be co-opted into an anti-democracy agenda that sought to undermine the authority of the state and remove a democratically elected government through nefarious and undemocratic means.

The manner in which South Africans strongly and successfully repelled desperate attempts by the EFF to paralyse our country and cripple the economy bears the hallmarks of active and patriotic citizenship. There is no doubt that the manner in which the EFF's ill-fated so-called shutdown was organised and branded, was an attempt to forment undemocratic politics.

The ANC commend the active citizenship and patriotism of civil society, business community and individual South Africans who were resolute in rejecting the EFF's attempts to bully, coerce and intimidate them. They firmly stood by the principles that are the cornerstone of our hard-won democracy.

The ANC applauds the responsiveness of the state security machinery to their mandate to protect life and property. Their preparedness ensured that the country is not plunged into chaos as the organisers of the ill-fated so-called shutdown intended. Not only did they protect the protestors, but they also scuppered all attempts to plunge our country into disorder and mayhem. As a precursor to the Human Rights Day commemoration, this approach by law enforcement agencies served as an exemplary approach of how our Constitution should be implemented in relation to the enforcement of the various laws of the Republic.

This improvement in public order policing as well as high levels of co-operation with communities must be consolidated and sustained. The only way for us to rid ourselves of criminal elements in our communities is to ensure that we have an accountable, professionalised and ethical police service whilst strengthening a culture of co-operation with the women and men in blue.

We also commend civil society, business and individual South Africans who were resolute in rejecting the EFF attempts of coercion and intimidation but instead stood by the principles that are the cornerstones of our democracy.

We reiterate our strong held view that the EFF so-called shutdown was neither in the interest of the country nor did it advance our hard-worn democracy. Instead, it served as the clearest demonstration that the EFF has no interest in building a cohesive nation that invests its collective will to the development and growth of our country.

We commend the various sectors of our economy, which include the taxi industry, bus industry and freight industry for their principled rejection of the EFF overtures aimed at paralysing the economy. The response by citizens, the taxi and freight industry is an example of what a social compact can yield. We will continue to forge deliberate social compacts with various role players in our communities to ensure that we collectively respond to the challenges which afflict our communities or put differently the challenges that diminish our human rights.

The ANC joins South Africans from all walks of life who have condemned this so-called shutdown in the strongest possible terms. These attempts at insurrection and overthrow of a democratically elected President from a party that has garnered a mere 10.8 % of the national vote must be exposed for what they are. Our people should not be hoodwinked into supporting anarchy and violence under the pretext of service delivery.

We call on South Africans not to heed this call that seeks to reverse the gains of our democracy at the alter of expediency to advance narrow political ends.

Following the ANC's 55th National Conference, we released our resolutions which outlines key and immediate tasks arising from Conference and articulated in the 2023 January 8th Statement.

These tasks are:

Fix loadshedding and electricity crisis,

Focus on service delivery,

Grow jobs and the economy through investment and small business support,

Deal with crime and corruption,

Deepen renewal of the ANC and

Build a better world and Africa.

We are therefore seized with the task of implementing these resolutions aimed at addressing the most pressing challenges facing our people. To this end, the ANC recognises that it has become exceedingly urgent for it to intensify its work, reinforce its relevance, capability and credibility so that it continues to be an effective instrument of transformation.

This year's State of the Nation Address as well as Budget Speech outlines how the ANC-led government is resourcing the outlined priority areas. The ANC is also mobilising its structures to engage and support communities and encourage their direct contribution towards finding solutions to these challenges. In the coming weeks we will unveil a programme of action which will ensure that our branches are at the centre of communities and at the forefront of service delivery to implement ANC resolutions and policies.

Though it is still early days, the ANC welcomes positive spin offs that are starting to show from implementation of the Energy Action Plan. We also note that Eskom's projection made on the 22nd January 2023 has materialised. Eskom made a projection to the effect that the Energy Availability Factor will increase from 58% to 70% towards the end of March 2023. We have no doubt that the relevant authorities will ensure that these improvements are sustained and lead to a continuous reduction and eventual end of loadshedding.

We wish to reiterate that we will not be side-tracked from the important task of implementing our electoral mandate and continuously improving service delivery in order to make a better life for all a lived reality by those who are mainly motivated by political opportunism, adventurism, intolerance, undemocratic behaviour, dictatorial tendencies, delusions of grandeur and an attempt to bully citizens who do not agree with them.

Issued by Mahlengi Bhengu-Motsiri, National Spokesperson, ANC, 22 March 2023