Anti-Zuma protests face permit hurdle

The march by Save South Africa and other civil society group to the Union Buildings has not yet been granted permission by the City of Tshwane‚ metro police said.

President Jacob Zuma reacts to a question by MP’s in the National Assembly, Cape Town
Picture: Esa Alexander / THE TIMES

Senior superintendent Isaac Mahamba of the Tshwane Metro Police Department said three organisations had applied for permission for Friday’s march. These include the SA Communist Party and Save SA. The third organisation withdrew its application.

“Both of them at this stage could not meet the requirements. There is certain documentation that we needed from them and they could not provide it. We have given them time up until today to submit those documents. Then we will take it from there. As I am talking to you‚ their application is still pending‚” said Mahamba.

Among the requirements is that if a memorandum is being submitted‚ the person receiving it must state in writing that he or she will be available to do so.

If the people coming to the march will use buses from different areas‚ the organisers must state the pick-up points and times.

“If you continue to march without the permission‚ the march is classified as illegal. We go to the police station and open a case against the convenor of the march. If anything goes wrong during the march‚ the organisers will be held accountable‚” Mahamba said.

Yesterday‚ Save SA‚ a coalition of civil society groups protesting against President Jacob Zuma‚ slammed the ANC government’s stance against the planned civil obedience on Friday

as “disingenuous”.

This week government’s communications unit GCIS said it did not support acts of civil disobedience and the actions of a select few to infringe on the constitutional rights of the majority.

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