Save South Africa held a festive protest in
St Albans church while the EFF protest at the Union Buildings was
sporadically violent
St Albans Church was packed with people today who answered the Save South Africa call to demand an end to state capture.
A festive mood greeted protesters as they entered the St Alban’s
Church in Pretoria for the Save SA protest. People beat on drums while
calling for President Jacob Zuma to step down. The church was packed to
the brim.
Meanwhile at Church Square thousands of members of the Economic
Freedom Fighters (EFF) gathered. They waited for news from the High
Court down the road regarding Zuma’s interdict against the release of
the Public Protector's report into state capture.
St Albans
EFF at Church Square
Church Square was all red as the EFF's supporters came to demand "Zuma must Go!"
EFF members tried to break through a police barrier after they made
their way to the Union Buildings. They were denied entry by the police
who shut the gates.
Some EFF members split into groups and moved through the city
blocking roads and setting construction materials on fire. Some shops
were looted and damaged in the violence.
EFF members confronted a Tshwane Metro Police Nyala as they protested outside the South African Reserve Bank.
EFF members tried to break through a police barrier after they made
their way to the Union Buildings. They were denied entry by the police
who shut the gates.
At the Union Buildings clashes followed with police using rubber bullets and a water cannon.
Police attempted to disperse EFF members outside the Union Buildings.
AN EFF member runs away after he is sprayed by a water cannon outside the Union Buildings.
EFF members fought with each other as some tried to stop others from throwing stones at the police.
Eventually the situation calmed down. The protesters remained
stationed outside the Union Buildings and dispersed after they were
addressed by Julius Malema.
On Friday, October 28, an elderly coupled aged 79 and 74 were
brutally attacked in their Randpark Ridge home. A home the couple shared
for over 40 years.
Several suspects gained entry into the home and tied up the elderly
residents, demanding cash and valuables. The pair were unable to fend
for themselves against the aggressive adult males who beat the hubby
with a steel bar and kicked the wife in the face and stomach.
The
dangerous men acted like savages without a shred of compassion for the
defenseless elderly. The men fled with several household possessions. An
investigation continues.
It is the brutality of crimes such as these that dampers the hope of
South Africa from ever being a free and peaceful nation. Crimes where
victims are beaten and kicked viciously are crimes of hate.
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.
