2023 South African National Shutdown Explained

2023 South African National Shutdown
Date:20 March 2023
Place:South Africa
Side1:
Side2: Government of South Africa[1]
Leadfigures1:Julius Malema
Floyd Shivambu
Leadfigures2:Cyril Ramaphosa
Paul Mashatile
Bheki Cele
John Steenhuisen
Thandi Modise
Arrests:500 confirmed

The 2023 South African National Shutdown was a protest held by the political party Economic Freedom Fighters on 20 March 2023, the day before Human Rights Day.[4] [5] [6] [7] [8] The EFF called for the resignation of President Cyril Ramaphosa and an end to load-shedding.[3] [9] The leader of the EFF, Julius Malema, warned businesses countrywide to close their doors or risk being looted by them.[10] [11] [12] [13] [14]

The Mail and Guardian speculated that the shutdown was a "dry-run" for the EFF's campaigning abilities in preparation for the 2024 general elections.[15] Polling by the Social Research Foundation that had been carried right before the shutdown reportedly found that electoral support for the EFF had strongly declined, from 12% in July 2022 to 6% in March 2023.[16] [17]

Run up to the shutdown

In addition to the EFF, the South African Federation of Trade Unions (SAFTU),[18] the Land Party,[19] and Carl Niehaus's newly formed African Radical Economic Transformation Alliance (Areta)[20] participated in support of the shutdown. Minibus taxi companies such as Santaco refused to support the shutdown stating that they did not want the economy to be further damaged.[21]

The Democratic Alliance (DA) sought court interdicts against the shutdown in both the Western Cape and Gauteng provinces. The first interdict barring the shutdown organisers from forcibly closing businesses and roads and the second interdict declaring the shutdown protest unlawful. The court granted the DA's first interdict and denied the second interdict.[22] [23]

The South African Police Service stated that there would be no forcibly imposed national shutdown and that they had put measures in place to assure people's safety.[21]

Over 24,000 car tires were confiscated across the country by the authorities in the hours leading up to the shutdown.[24] [25] The authorities stated that the tires were placed in strategic locations with the likely intent to create road blocks and set alight on the day of the shutdown. The confiscations were allegedly assisted by EFF activists posting pictures of themselves next to piles of tires on social media, which Malema had asked them not to do.[26]

Impact

On the day of the shutdown significant protest action and violence was reported in the EFF strong holds of Limpopo and Gauteng provinces where EFF critic Nhlanhla Lux's home was allegedly bombed and national bus operator Putco ceased some of its operations because of reports of intimidation.[27] The situation was described as largely "quiet" in the provinces of KwaZulu-Natal and the Western Cape, but two roads were reportedly closed by the burning of tires in the Nelson Mandela Bay area in the Eastern Cape. An estimated 150,000 people were reported to have attended the shutdown across the country.[28]

Response and reactions

Assessment

Malema described the event as “the most successful shutdown in the history of South Africa”.[29] Despite his earlier statement, Malema blamed the cancellation of chartered busses for protesters as a reason for the lower-than-expected turnout for the shutdown.[30] Malema also alleged that an unnecessarily strong presence by the police and army and an unexpected lack of loadsheading also negatively impacted turnout for the protests.

The media reported that turnout for the shutdown was lower than expected,[31] [32] [33] [29] was in fact very small,[34] and was likely a failure for the EFF,[34] possibly damaging the party's image in the run-up to the national elections. AfriForum stated that the shutdown was a failure for the EFF.[35] The African National Congress (ANC) thanked South Africans for not responding to the EFF's appeal to join the shutdown, and the DA also described the event as unsuccessful for the EFF and claimed that a court interdict that it had secured against intimidation during the shut down played an important role in reducing its impact.[36]

Incidents of fake news

Julius Malema claimed that the shutdown helped reduce load shedding.[37] [38] However, the national power utility Eskom announced ahead of the protest a reduction of load shedding due to a decrease in demand.[39] In fact, 20 March was designated a special school holiday by the Department of Basic Education in 2022.[40] Former Eskom CEO André de Ruyter previously declared in January 2023 that there would be a load shedding relief by end of March.[41] Electricity minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa also denied any involvement of EFF with load-shedding suspension.[42]

Social media posts have wrongfully shared footage from a previous protest, specifically the EFF march to Eskom in February 2020, claiming it was from the national shutdown.[43]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: EFF 'NATIONAL SHUTDOWN' UPDATES 'The fear of the EFF protest has brought the country to a standstill': Gayton McKenzie . 2023-03-20 . TimesLIVE . en-ZA.
  2. Web site: Mthethwa . Cebelihle . All hands on deck: Western Cape cops, army, metro police on high alert amid planned national shutdown . 2023-03-20 . News24.
  3. Web site: DA welcomes High Court interdict of EFF national shutdown violence . 2023-03-20 . Democratic Alliance . en.
  4. Web site: Madia . Tshidi . D-Day looms for EFF national shutdown . 2023-03-19 . ewn.co.za . en-US.
  5. Web site: National Shutdown Over 3,000 soldiers deployed eNCA . 2023-03-19 . www.enca.com . en.
  6. Web site: 2023-03-19 . Everything you need to know about the "national shutdown" . 2023-03-19 . Rekord . en-US.
  7. Web site: Nkanjeni . Unathi . 16 March 2023 . EXPLAINED Where and who may be affected by the EFF's 'national shutdown' . 2023-03-19 . TimesLIVE . en-ZA.
  8. Web site: Patrick . Alex . The lid will be taken off the pot, says SAFTU ahead of national shutdown . 2023-03-19 . News24.
  9. Web site: Ziady . Hanna . 18 January 2023 . South Africa's energy crisis deepens as blackouts hit 12 hours a day . 2023-03-20 . CNN . en.
  10. Web site: Nkanjeni . Unathi . 16 March 2023 . Can I catch a bus, plane or taxi? Will essential services be running?- What to know about the 'national shutdown' . 2023-03-20 . TimesLIVE . en-ZA.
  11. Web site: Ramushwana . Alpha . EFF national shutdown: what you need to know about what's happening around SA . 2023-03-20 . ewn.co.za . en-US.
  12. Web site: Gounden . Tamika . National shutdown: 57 people arrested, confirms Bheki Cele . 2023-03-20 . ewn.co.za . en-US.
  13. Web site: 20 March 2023 . National Shutdown As Its Happening .
  14. Web site: Francke . Robin-Lee . 20 March 2023 . Failed Arson Attempts in Cape Town . 20 March 2023 . IOL.
  15. Web site: Tandwa . Lizeka . Harper . Paddy . 17 March 2023 . Shutdown is EFF's dry run for the polls . 2023-03-20 . mg.co.za . en-ZA.
  16. Web site: Sguazzin . Antony . 2023-03-27 . Support for populist EFF has plunged, poll shows . 2023-03-30 . Moneyweb . en.
  17. Web site: 28 March 2023 . New poll shows EFF, DA losing support, and the ANC gaining – but there's a catch . 30 March 2023 . businesstech.
  18. Web site: Rapuleng . Thabang . Mila . Tamsanqa . 13 March 2023 . Monday, 20 March 2023 is coming – are you prepared? Tips to survive the national shutdown . 2023-03-23 . Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr.
  19. Web site: Stoltz . Eunice . 15 March 2023 . Cape Town taxi body backs EFF shutdown call but won't take part . 2023-03-23 . mg.co.za . en-ZA.
  20. Web site: Kgosana . Rorisang . 20 March 2023 . Carl Niehaus says deployment of law enforcers reminiscent of 1976 Soweto uprising . 2023-03-23 . TimesLIVE . en-ZA.
  21. Web site: Solomons . Lisalee . EFF shutdown: Business as usual for Santaco taxi drivers as cops lay down the law . 2023-03-23 . News24 . en-US.
  22. Web site: Ngcobo . Khanyisile . 18 March 2023 . DA's bid to interdict EFF's shutdown dismissed, but party interdicted from inciting violence . 2023-03-23 . TimesLIVE . en-ZA.
  23. Web site: DA interdict to halt national shutdown fails eNCA . 2023-03-23 . www.enca.com . en.
  24. Web site: McCain . Nicole . 2023-03-20 . EFF shutdown: 87 arrested in 12 hours for public violence, 24 300 tyres confiscated . 2023-03-20 . News24 . en-US.
  25. Web site: 87 shutdown protestors arrested, more than 24 000 tyres seized . 2023-03-20 . mg.co.za . 20 March 2023 . en-ZA.
  26. Web site: National Shutdown: Malema says those posing with tyres are exposing EFF to the enemy. Storm. Simpson. 17 March 2023. The South African.
  27. Web site: Makhaye . Chris . Simelane . Bheki . Ludidi . Velani . Tshivhase . Rudzani . Stoddard . Ed . O’Regan . Victoria . Ellis . Estelle . Njilo . Nonkululeko . 2023-03-20 . EFF 'SHUTDOWN' SHOWDOWN: Bus pelted with stones, Malema leads march to Union Buildings, with scores arrested in parts of SA . 2023-03-23 . Daily Maverick . en.
  28. Web site: Helfrich . Kim . 2023-03-24 . SANDF deployment during national shutdown was "wasteful" - EFF . 2023-03-30 . defenceWeb . en-ZA.
  29. Web site: Davis . Rebecca . 2023-03-20 . ANALYSIS: Gaslighters-in-Chief: The true meaning of the EFF's big national fizzle . 2023-03-21 . Daily Maverick . en.
  30. Web site: Felix . Jason . Malema hints EFF shutdown low turn-out due to canceled buses, ANC thanks SA for not joining marches . 2023-03-21 . News24 . en-US.
  31. Web site: Ramushwana . Alpha . EFF national shutdown: minor disruptions erupt but largely business as usual . 2023-03-21 . ewn.co.za . en.
  32. Web site: Mokhoali . Veronica . National Shutdown: EFF supporters decry deployment of security forces . 2023-03-21 . ewn.co.za . en.
  33. Web site: Wagiet . Rafiq . 20 March 2023 . EFF National Shutdown: Did it have the desired effect? No, is the answer... . 2023-03-21 . CapeTalk . en-ZA.
  34. https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/opinionista/2023-03-20-malemas-day-of-humiliation-south-africa-must-return-to-mass-democratic-politics/ Malema’s day of humiliation – South Africa must return to mass democratic politics
  35. Web site: Mashigo . Lehlohonolo . 20 March 2023 . EFF's national shutdown was a failure, says AfriForum . IOL.
  36. Web site: Mashigo . Lehlohonolo . 2023-03-21 . DA's Solly Malatsi says 'national shutdown' was a mountain that gave birth to a mouse . 2023-03-21 . MSN . en-ZA.
  37. EFFSouthAfrica . 1638861792632774657 . Malema: After so many months with Loadshedding.
  38. Web site: Ditabo . Malaika . WATCH Shutdown was an 'overwhelming success' and helped reduce load shedding, Malema insists . 2023-05-25 . News24 . en-US.
  39. Web site: PesaCheck . 2023-03-30 . FALSE: The Economic Freedom Fighters did not stop load shedding . 2023-05-25 . Medium . en.
  40. Web site: 18 March 2022 . 2023 SCHOOL CALENDAR FOR PUBLIC SCHOOLS . Department of Basic Education.
  41. Web site: Felix . Jason . Eskom CEO André de Ruyter hints at load shedding relief by end of March . 2023-05-25 . News24 . en-US.
  42. Web site: Nkanjeni . Unathi . Electricity minister denies EFF's 'national shutdown' had anything to do with load-shedding suspension . 2023-05-25 . TimesLIVE . en-ZA.
  43. News: PesaCheck . 2023-03-20 . FALSE: This video is not of Julius Malema's organised 2023 national shutdown in South Africa . en . Medium . 2023-05-26.

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