He led the large crowd to the presidential residence at Bryntirion Estate near the Union Buildings. The group walked peacefully as people watched from flat windows and balconies as Malema waved at them, beckoning them to join the march.
While the streets of Pretoria were not barricaded and traffic flowed freely, businesses and shops in the CBD were all closed.
To Malema, this was a success. He said the ANC’s pessimism was “political jealousy”.
“They want to portray the EFF as an organisation of anarchists. The topic is whether the shutdown is successful or not. We did it in a dignified manner. South Africa is closed today.”
Several marchers deviated from the route on occasion. Police, who were driving ahead to escort the marchers, had to make several U-turns to catch up with Malema. The EFF was joined by other civil organisations and parties such as the UDM, ATM, SAFTU, Forum 4 Service Delivery and PAC.
Malema and supporters camp outside president’s official Pretoria residence
Image: Rorisang Kgosana
After hours of marching, singing and scores of EFF members arriving in buses at Pretoria’s Church Square on Monday, EFF leader Julius Malema made an appearance.
Surrounded by a sea of red, he told supporters the national shutdown was a success despite the heavy police presence.
“You must be proud of yourselves, fighters, that we made it without looting, without burning a building. History will remember this day — that you were not scared of 3,700 soldiers. You were not scared of 18,000 policemen. You were not scared of the helicopters roaming over our houses every day as part of intimidation,” he said.
Shutdown: KZN trains running normally but with fewer passengers
He led the large crowd to the presidential residence at Bryntirion Estate near the Union Buildings. The group walked peacefully as people watched from flat windows and balconies as Malema waved at them, beckoning them to join the march.
While the streets of Pretoria were not barricaded and traffic flowed freely, businesses and shops in the CBD were all closed.
To Malema, this was a success. He said the ANC’s pessimism was “political jealousy”.
“They want to portray the EFF as an organisation of anarchists. The topic is whether the shutdown is successful or not. We did it in a dignified manner. South Africa is closed today.”
Several marchers deviated from the route on occasion. Police, who were driving ahead to escort the marchers, had to make several U-turns to catch up with Malema. The EFF was joined by other civil organisations and parties such as the UDM, ATM, SAFTU, Forum 4 Service Delivery and PAC.
IN PICS | Durban CBD ahead of the national shutdown
The marchers arrived to find scores of public order police members with teargas and shields and yellow crime-scene tape barricading the EFF from the president’s residence.
Malema encouraged members to sit down on the lawns to avoid trouble with the police. He emphasised his aim was to ensure Ramaphosa steps down as president.
“We don’t have a memorandum. We want Ramaphosa to leave this house and to leave this house with immediate effect. We are not leaving any time soon. We are here to demand the end of load-shedding and for Ramaphosa to step down and if he doesn’t, we will make him step down,” said Malema.
He said the shutdown would continue until midnight.
LISTEN | EFF 'proud of the youth' participating in national shutdown
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