If National Director of Public Prosecutions Shaun Abrahams was hoping his decision to withdraw charges against Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan would stave off mass protests planned for Wednesday‚ he’s in for a bitter disappointment.
While the South African Communist Party announced on Monday that it had cancelled a picket planned for Pretoria on the day Gordhan was due to appear in the city’s magistrate court‚ the Economic Freedom Fighters and business groups have vowed to go ahead with their protest actions.
In the case of the EFF‚ Abrahams’ u-turn may even have helped bump him up to centre stage in proceedings‚ with a demand for his resignation now one of three points listed as “burning issues” for its #DayofAction march.
Abrahams should take responsibility for bringing justice system into disrepute: Law Society
The other two are that free tertiary education be given the urgent attention it deserves and that President Jacob Zuma resigns for failing to uphold his oath of office.
“These demands are in no way affected by Shaun Abrahams spurious decision to withdraw the charges against Gordhan. In fact‚ this decision has further emphasized the need for this incompetent head of the NPA to step down‚” a statement from the party said.
Business Unity South Africa‚ Business Leadership South Africa and the CEO Initiative are also going ahead with their combined activities planned for Wednesday‚ saying it was their “collective duty and paramount responsibility as citizens” to protect state institutions and “fight to maintain our investment grade rating”.
“The decision to drop charges will therefore not alter the decision of business leaders and organised business to be in Pretoria on Wednesday… for a historic event: the first time in the 22-year history of our democracy that civil society‚ faith-based organisations‚ labour‚ business and thousands of citizens will join together to express what we stand for and what binds us together; namely the belief in our Constitution and a future for our society that it envisages.”
— TMG Digital
Pretoria mass protests to go ahead‚ despite dropping of Gordhan charges
If National Director of Public Prosecutions Shaun Abrahams was hoping his decision to withdraw charges against Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan would stave off mass protests planned for Wednesday‚ he’s in for a bitter disappointment.
While the South African Communist Party announced on Monday that it had cancelled a picket planned for Pretoria on the day Gordhan was due to appear in the city’s magistrate court‚ the Economic Freedom Fighters and business groups have vowed to go ahead with their protest actions.
In the case of the EFF‚ Abrahams’ u-turn may even have helped bump him up to centre stage in proceedings‚ with a demand for his resignation now one of three points listed as “burning issues” for its #DayofAction march.
Abrahams should take responsibility for bringing justice system into disrepute: Law Society
The other two are that free tertiary education be given the urgent attention it deserves and that President Jacob Zuma resigns for failing to uphold his oath of office.
“These demands are in no way affected by Shaun Abrahams spurious decision to withdraw the charges against Gordhan. In fact‚ this decision has further emphasized the need for this incompetent head of the NPA to step down‚” a statement from the party said.
Business Unity South Africa‚ Business Leadership South Africa and the CEO Initiative are also going ahead with their combined activities planned for Wednesday‚ saying it was their “collective duty and paramount responsibility as citizens” to protect state institutions and “fight to maintain our investment grade rating”.
“The decision to drop charges will therefore not alter the decision of business leaders and organised business to be in Pretoria on Wednesday… for a historic event: the first time in the 22-year history of our democracy that civil society‚ faith-based organisations‚ labour‚ business and thousands of citizens will join together to express what we stand for and what binds us together; namely the belief in our Constitution and a future for our society that it envisages.”
— TMG Digital
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