The DA welcomes the court interdict against violence and intimidation by the EFF

17 March 2023

The DA in the Western Cape welcomes the court interdict, granted against the EFF, preventing them as part of their ‘national shutdown’ on 20 March, from:

- harassing or intimidating any person

- making threatening or intimidating statements

- participating or inciting others to participate in unlawful conduct and/or unlawful protest action

- inciting violence or taking part in violence on or before 20 March, directly or indirectly

- inciting, implying or threatening the looting of or damage to any home, building, business, public or private property or infrastructure and/or looting or damaging these properties

- shutting down or damaging schools, and inciting others to shut down schools

- shutting down or damaging businesses or government property and infrastructure

- preventing persons from obtaining their place of employment or taking public transport

- unlawfully interfering with any person in the conduct of his or her business or work

The interdict, which was granted by the Western Cape High Court applies to the entire province and was granted with costs against the EFF.

We reiterate our statement from earlier this week, that Cape Town and the Western Cape has worked hard to building the economy allowing more people to achieve employment and that we stand with those creating the jobs and those wanting to go to work. Residents and businesses are having a tough time with the cost of living. People simply cannot afford to shut their doors because the EFF demands it.

I therefore call on all public transport, businesses, factories, farmers and traders not to capitulate to threats and to continue with normal business activities on Monday – stay open. No society or economy can survive arbitrary and violent interruptions outside of the law and we should not have to.

This interdict will ensure that any person or group that attempts to disrupt the public order, that threatens any business owner, or intimidates any service provider, trying to force them to close their business on Monday the 20th March, will be arrested and charged with contempt of court and any other charges relating to potential violence, intimidation or destruction of property.

DA administrations in the Western Cape will enforce the interdict diligently and strictly and will expect SAPS to do likewise, ensuring that we take every possible action to protect the rights of those who want to contribute to the economy and exercise their right to work and freedom of movement.

The DA believes in the right to protest, however, these protests cannot involve looting, intimidation, the destruction of property or violence.

The DA also welcomes the warning issued by the City of Cape Town that it will not hesitate to initiate a civil claim against the EFF if any of its public infrastructure is damaged, as is already taking place in relation to public violence during EFF protests in Brackenfell in November 2020.

The City has also taken preventative actions by removing almost 300 illegally erected EFF posters across the City which they will be billed for and removing stockpiles of tyres which may have been used in illegal protest actions.

The EFF has contributed much to our economic and social problems, giving rise to many of the stated reasons for their intended protest. While we are building, the EFF tries to break down.

Statement issued by JP Smith, DA Provincial Deputy Leader, Western Cape, 17 March 2023