The peaceful #FeesMustFall march to Cape Town Parliament today turned
violent when police and protesters clashed throughout the afternoon in
the CBD. Stun Grenades and Rubber bullets were fired to disperse crowds
after an incident outside parliament, prompting students to move into
the streets. I followed a few groups down towards the Central Train
Station, where numerous police vehicles, shops and buses were stoned.
A terrifying incident occurred at the MacDonalds, where a family
sitting close to the window had to remove their son quickly as bricks
and stones were hurtled at them. Police continued to disperse crowds and
make arrests throughout the afternoon, unfortunately at times targeting
the more peaceful protesters.
Another
sad day for our Country and the #FeesMustFall movement, these actions
do not speak the core of the movement, but rather indicate the desperate
cry of unheard voices.
Violence is not the answer… Violence is not the answer.
All images - CICA South Africa/Sullivan Photography
Yesterday Parliament saw three different protest at its door. By
far the largest was held by the Fees Must Mall movement. Several
thousand students participated in it. After marching from the Cape
Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT) they arrived at Parliament and
sang protest songs.
The day eventually took a violent turn with clashes between students and police.
The first protest of the day started shortly before 9am. About 150
UCT staff members picketed, demanding more funding for tertiary
education, and for government to intervene in the universities
crisis. Pictured above is University of Cape Town (UCT) Vice-chancellor
Max Price. Although the UCT executive participated in the march, it was
organised by the university's staff trade unions.
Later in the day, Democratic Alliance (DA), with its affiliate the DA
Students Organisation, marched to Parliament. The protesters called for
universities to open, funding for poor students, and for Jacob Zuma to
step down.
By 11am, hundreds if not thousands of students had already filled the
grounds of CPUT. Their main demand was "free decolonised education”.
Students carried a faux coffin with a picture of Blade Nzimande on top of it.
As the march began, riot police immediately brought it to a halt. They wanted marshals in front to keep order.
Riot police steered the march, trying to keep order.
Some student protesters hitched a ride on police vehicles.
At one point, protesters and police started running.
Several thousand protesters gathered outside Parliament.
Speeches were made and students handed over a memo to the Minister of Finance, Pravin Gordhan.
Students watched the proceedings from the top of police vehicles.
Police asked them to get off numerous times, which they did. But they
returned again moments later.
Students sang and danced on top of a police vehicle.
Police used fire rubber bullets and stun grenades to
disperse protesters. The violence started after a cardboard coffin with
Blade Nzimande was set alight and thrown at police outside the gates of
Parliament.
Protesting students retaliated by barricading the street and throwing rocks at police.
Riot police continued to fire rubber bullets at protesters as the chaos started to move into the city centre.
More barricades were built. These fires were quickly doused by police water cannons.
A police vehicle drove away quickly as protesters ran through streets throwing rocks at all police vehicles.
A man (presumably a police officer) pulled out a gun as protesters stoned the Caledon Square police station.
Rocks were thrown at police vehicles and buildings. Windows were broken.
Riot police continued to move slowly thorough the streets.
A protesting student wears an officer's helmet.
Police fired stun grenades to disperse protesters blocking Strand street.
Stun grenades were set off.
People hid after stun grenades went off.
A woman cried after stun grenades went off.
According to JP Smith, mayoral committee member for safety and
security, six arrests have been made, four for public violence and two
for assault of a police officer.
Vehicles being burnt by militants at the Bellville campus of the Cape
Peninsula University of Technology during the #FeesMustFall protest.
When the country wakes up and realizes that #FeesMustFall protests
are being used to destabilize the country as part of a bigger plan with
#StateCapture and are not about #FreeEducation any longer then it will
all make sense….and you will be terrified.
Meet Dennis the Menace – Another one of Nicky Falkofs followers and friends that needs his head checked.
What these people do not realize is that they are being used by
politicians to create racial divide and hate with the long term goal of
destabilizing the country and depreciating the ZAR so that the 100s of
BILLIONS of USD in Dubai can be brought back into the country at 20-50
times the value that they were taken out at.
Can somebody PLEASE tell him that he is white.
Imagine women campaigning against themselves and starting campaigns
that say #FuckWomen – would ANYONE take them seriously except extreme
male chauvinists ?
Thabong and Welkom South African Polices Services held a joint
operation to address robberies,
murder and the use of dangerous weapons
in areas such as Phomolong , Mannys and Welkom CBD.
Members also entered underground to root out illegal immigrants and
miners. Three people were arrested. The first one was found with a
shotgun and ammunition and the other two were found with two 9 mm
firearms and a knife.
A lot of blankets were found underground which indicates that they sleep there or its their hiding spot.
When they saw the police coming, they entered underground and the police were forced to follow suit.
Members of Welkom K9 risked their lives to enter underground so as to effect these arrests.
Published on South Africa Today
(All images - from Police Clips and Pics - Facebook Page)
Herman Mashaba, the newly elected major of Johannesburg, and the Democratic Alliance (DA) are making a difference.
This photo taken on March 11, 2016 shows the state of a Johannesburg city center street.
Now the next photo taken on October 6, 2016 of the exact same street.
At least the DA are making a difference.
Let us hope they continue to transform Johannesburg into a decent city again. I think the next big project the DA should focus on is the public hospitals. Some of the hospital are in a dreadful state.
Zuma is now playing a very dangerous game. What is he scared of?
Perhaps it is the urgency of not keeping the Russians waiting. Yes, the
Russians are in town to sign the nuclear deal. While the Russians are in
town, it would not be appropriate for the President to be cited in a
state capture report. Perhaps it would be embarrassing for Zuma if
Pravin Gordhan refuses to sign a deal that will sink South Africa.
State capture is a game of chance for Zuma
In a surprise move today, President Jacob Zuma served a notice of
intention to apply for an interdict. It is an interdict to stop the
outgoing public protector Thuli Madonsela from releasing the interim
report on state capture. The interdict to stop the report being released
can only mean one thing, that the state is captured.
The charges against Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan once again
confirm that the Zuma administration is devious and under immense
pressure. The Ahmed Kathrada Foundation says it considers the charges
against Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan as nothing more than an attempt
to remove him from his post.
Zuma has strategically placed his people in all the relevant
departments and the crown jewel would be capturing SARS and Treasury.
Well, I guess if he does get this right, we will certainly be in for a
rough time. Let’s hope Gordhan uses all the resources he has to prevent
the Zuma conquest becoming a reality. Let us hope that Gordhan remains
honorable and does not bow down to corruption and bribery.
Besides the #FeesMustFall protests that seem to have no end. There
are no leadership strategies in place to stop the spiraling criminal
elements behind these protests. Julius Malema was summonsed today for
two charges are in contravention of section 18 (2) (b) of the Riotous
Assemblies Act. The summons alleges that on the December 16, during the
party’s elective conference, Malema incited party members to commit a
crime, by occupying any vacant land they came across. A second summons
indicated that he has been charged a second time for a similar
transgression for making the same call in Newcastle on the June 26.
It is public knowledge that Madonsela is investigating the Gupta
family and its alleged attempts to appoint ministers in President Zuma’s
cabinet. Earlier this year – in a press statement, Jonas openly
admitted that the Gupta family offered him the position of Minister of
Finance, a few weeks before Minister Nene was removed. Jonas rejected
the offer and believed that it makes a mockery of the democracy.
President Jacob Zuma is the person responsible for appointing ministers.
It is constitutionally unethical to allow the Gupta family to make a
decision about whom to appoint. This is especially true in the Ministry
of Finance where corruption and apparent state capture is particularly
vulnerable.
It is an aggressive, threatening move, yet the ANC respects the
decision of President Zuma. The ANC will always rally behind Zuma, even
if the decisions are detrimental to the stability of South Africa. It is
an aggressive abuse of power by Zuma, who is sending a negative message
to the people of South Africa and the international community.
Perhaps what Julius Malema the leader of the Economic Freedom
Fighters (EFF) said sums up the entire saga? “Expecting the ANC to act
against Gupta is like expecting a pig to eat a pudding”.
Student protesters at Vaal University of Technology set mattresses and bins alight today. - image - Groundup
In photos: Violence at Vaal University of Technology. Deputy
vice-chancellor says institution will stay open and only shut down as a
last resort.
There were clashes between police and student protesters at the Vaal University of Technology (VUT) in Vanderbijlpark today.
Last
night a makeshift storage room, once an office, in the residence
administration building was torched. Dr Segopane Seroka the acting
deputy vice chancellor indicated that they are still assessing the
extent of the damage.
The storage and maintenance shed was burnt down last night. – Image – Groundup
On Tuesday a group of students who were disciplined for a protest in
May of this year received their letters of suspension. Seroka indicated
that these students have mobilised support and are leading this protest.
He said that the seven expelled student leaders could still appeal. He
said the university remains officially opened and will only shut down as
a last resort.
“We are having a heavy police presence and have beefed up our private security,” he said.
Students continued their protest by blocking the roads surrounding
the campus. They intended to march to the main campus from the residence
next door.
Police met them in the road and gave them ten minutes to disperse.
Students ignored the warning and began to make their way to the main
campus entrance. Police launched stun grenades and rubber bullets as
students fled back into the residence. Students and police were then
engaged in running battles with the police intent on keeping protesting
students inside the property of the residence. Students attempted to
launch attacks by using mattresses as shields and a fire hydrant to
douse the teargas which was aimed at them by police.
“We are in support of the national call for free and quality
education,” said Mosoane Kgaogelo the deputy chair of the EFF Student
command. “Management has paralysed our SRC by expelling our members.
They are refusing to engage us on important matters and so the protest
continues.”
Expelled SRC president Troy Mathebula said the students want to “sit
down” with management. He said that the students have asked for a
neutral person to mediate between them, because there is a “deadlock” at
the moment, contributed to by the fact that the student leaders were
expelled.
Police inform a protest leader that they cannot enter the VUT campus. – Image – Groundup
A police officer gets ready to fire a teargas cannister. – Image – Groundup
A protester uses a rock to block a road. – Image – Groundup
A protester uses a “katty” to launch stones at the police while a colleague shields him with a bin. – Image – Groundup
Students threw rocks at the police and protected themselves with a mattress. – Image – Groundup
Protesters flee as police open fire with rubber bullets. – Image – Groundup
Students used a water hydrant to douse the teargas. – Image – Groundup
Protesters set mattresses and bins alight. – Image – Groundup
Students fled through the streets and a canal near the university. – Image – Groundup
The situation had calmed down at the time of publication.
By Ihsaan Haffejee
Published on South Africa Today – South Africa News
