Mayor Gumede must retract threat of arrest, or DA will approach High Court

6 April 2017

The Democratic Alliance, through our lawyers, has written to Ethekwini Mayor Zandile Gumede, giving her until this morning to publicly retract her unconstitutional and undemocratic threats to arrest participants in tomorrow’s mass actions against Jacob Zuma.

Gumede’s promise to arrest anyone who marches tomorrow undermines the fundamental right in our constitution to peacefully protest. Gumede will defend Zuma at all costs.

The DA is undeterred and our legally approved protest will continue. We encourage each and every South African who wants to see our country set on the right path, starting with the democratic removal of Jacob Zuma, to join the protest action on Friday.

Gumede’s unlawful threat and intimidation against our lawful march cannot go unchallenged.

We await a swift and unconditional retraction from Mayor Gumede.

Should she not do so publicly by this morning, the DA will approach the High Court on an urgent basis to interdict Gumede.

Issued by Zwakele Mncwango, DA KZN Leader, 6 April 2017