Members of the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) party took to the streets of Pretoria on Friday, calling for the immediate resignation of President Cyril Ramaphosa and the prosecution of Police Minister Senzo Mchunu.
The march, which began at Church Square in the Pretoria CBD, culminated at the Union Buildings, the seat of government.
By mid-afternoon, the group had reached the Union Buildings, where a strong police presence awaited.
Officers from the South African Police Service and the Tshwane Metro Police Department had accompanied the demonstrators along parts of their route.
During the march, participants made a brief stop at the Maupa Naga SAPS offices in Arcadia, where they handed over a memorandum of demands.
MK party national organiser Joe Ndlela delivered the document, which was received and signed by Lieutenant General Samo Chamane.
The protest continued to the Union Buildings, where the party’s national spokesperson, Nhlamulo Ndhlela, formally submitted the memorandum to Vincent Ngcobondwane, a representative from the Presidency.
The memorandum outlines a list of grievances, including the belief that Ramaphosa is unfit to lead and has failed to account for issues such as the Phala Phala scandal.
The MK party accuses the President of using state institutions to protect himself from accountability.
The party also expressed disapproval over what it sees as a coalition between the African National Congress and the Democratic Alliance, claiming it undermines the state’s integrity.
Protesters stated that their actions are in the spirit of justice, citing the memory of the July 2021 unrest and invoking the legacy of Nelson Mandela as a moral benchmark.
In addition to Ramaphosa’s resignation, the MK party is calling for criminal charges against individuals implicated in recent allegations by KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi.
These include Minister Mchunu and Deputy National Police Commissioner Lieutenant General Shadrack Sibiya.
Following the submission of the memorandum, Ngcobondwane assured the party that it would be handed over to President Ramaphosa and that an official response would follow.
Earlier in the week, the MK party issued a letter of demand to the President, urging him to resign by 9am on Friday.
The letter also criticised the appointment of Professor Cachalia as Acting Minister of Police, arguing that the move was unconstitutional as he is not a Cabinet member or part of the National Assembly.
The MK party, led by former President Jacob Zuma, has since warned that it may introduce a motion of no confidence in Parliament should its demands be ignored.
