protest action – Pretoria.ws

Diepsloot protest ‘shutdown’ may affect Pretoria motorists – townships are demanding electricity to all informal settlements

The shutdown might see road closures of major highways such as the R511 and the N14, which link Johannesburg and Pretoria on Monday and Tuesday. 16 hours ago Police are on high alert following threats of a service delivery protest ‘shutdown’ in Diepsloot, west of Johannesburg. This after a message has been doing the rounds on social media that the township would be ‘closed down’ from Monday 15 July to Tuesday 16 July. Among the demands in the message are that ‘local leaders’ want money to be made available to supply electricity to all the informal settlements in the area. Another demand is for all ‘undocumented’ (i.e. foreign) residents to leave the area. Police spokesperson Captain Makgowanyana Maja said the circulating message cannot be confirmed as either bogus or legitimate. “We are, however, aware of it and ready to deal with it,” he said. If true, the shutdown will see road closures of major highways such as the R511 and the N14 which link Pretoria a…

Tshwane Total Shutdown: Protest movement hits Pretoria

The Tshwane Total Shutdown protest movement gripped Pretoria on Thursday morning, resulting in major traffic disruptions and an increased police presence. Total Shutdown action – first witnessed in the Western Cape and more recently in Alexandra, Johannesburg – is a protest movement designed to disrupt daily routine in an attempt to bring attention to a wide array of socioeconomic issues. The protests usually involve the barricading of major roadways and mass marches. Disruption in Tshwane erupted in the early hours of Thursday morning, following anonymous threats and flyer-drops earlier in the week. The African National Congress (ANC), which openly supported the protests in Alexandra, have distanced themselves from the Tshwane Total Shutdown. ANC regional chairperson, Dr Kgosi Maepa, said: “I’ve heard people are going to organise a shutdown. We are not against it because there is no service delivery in Hammanskraal.” The exact cause of the discontent in Tshwane is,…

EFF warns Rosslyn companies during protest: Police won’t be able to protect you – demand a basic minimum wage of R12 500

Thousands of EFF members, some who work in the area, marched on Thursday to demand a basic minimum wage of R12 500 and worker ownership and control to the South African Breweries, PRAGA Technical, BMW, Nissan, Afrit Trailers and Coca-Cola. Tshwane Secretary Nqobile Mhlongo told BMW that workers will close down the area if their demands are not met. “There is no political or police force which will protect companies in Rosslyn area from thousands of workers. Companies must not wait until there is no time and there is social instability which will collapse business in the area until they extend ownership of companies to workers. The sooner we realise economic freedom for workers, the better for Rosslyn to grow economically.” The party’s deputy chairperson Leofi Leshabane said workers have complained to Nissan about being on night shift for several years without any rotation but nothing has been done. There are also complaints of racism at Afrit Trailers and Praga Tech…