JOHANNESBURG – On Monday, thousands of demonstrators took to the streets of South African cities to demand that President Cyril Ramaphosa step down due to the nation’s unemployment crisis and insufficient access to electricity. Security forces were deployed to malls and thoroughfares to forestall any potential outbursts of violence or thievery.
As of 10 p.m. more than 550 protesters had been arrested since Sunday night on such charges as public violence, intimidation, damage to critical infrastructure and theft, the national intelligence body NatJOINTS said in a statement.
South Africans are displeased with the ANC’s inability to supply services and generate employment opportunities, with over one-third of the population unemployed; analysts forecast that the ANC will suffer its first defeat in the national elections in three decades come next year.
Amidst the most severe power outages in history, Eskom, the national electricity supplier, has been instituting rolling blackouts for households of up to 10 hours per day.
“We are not going to do anything. We just walk nicely and raise our concerns,” protest leader Julius Malema, head of the Marxist Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), said in front of a large crowd gathered at Church Square in Pretoria’s city centre before marching to the president’s office.
The Economic Freedom Fighters party, largely consisting of impoverished African South Africans who have felt excluded since the African National Congress’ termination of apartheid in 1994, issued a call for a countrywide stoppage, which achieved a significant degree of success, resulting in numerous businesses suspending operations and employees being unable to attend due to transportation difficulties.
In Sandton, the commercial and financial center renowned for being one of the wealthiest districts in Africa, EFF protesters gathered and sang in front of the glass and chrome structures. Additionally, they followed the appeals for a tranquil demonstration by placing their trash in the provided bins.
Many had crossed a bridge over a freeway from the next-door impoverished township of Alexandra.
“Look at the rich people in Sandton (while) we in Alexandra … are struggling.” said 35-year-old township resident Wendy Sithole, who has not worked since losing her job at a fast-food restaurant during the 2020 COVID-19 lockdowns.
“I’m hungry. There’s no job, there’s no electricity … there’s not enough water,” she added, wearing the trademark red EFF T-shirt.
