Chaos has erupted between Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) members and the police ahead of the people’s march on Friday morning.
The disruption was caused after truck drivers partaking in the march were requested to move one of their trucks to make way for a police inyala to park.
This caused tension and led to a fist fight between the police and the truck drivers.
In the audio below, SABC journalist Samkele Maseko details the events leading to the chaos
The Fighters are marching against Eskom’s load shedding, privatisation and its unbundling. Recently in Parliament, EFF leader Julius Malema and party MPs left the chamber just before President Cyril Ramaphosa could deliver his State of the Nation Address (SONA), demanding that Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan be fired from his position.
In the video below, Maseko outlines the details of the march
#EFFMarch A bit of chaos at the @EFFSouthAfrica March to Eskom this morning with a stand off between truck drivers, DOR and the police. #sabcnews pic.twitter.com/bPsymmkFhy
— #TheLordOfTheMedia (@samkelemaseko) February 28, 2020
The EFF has been calling on all formations in the left, from trade unions including South African Federation of Trade Unions (SAFTU) and Federation of Unions of South Africa (FEDUSA) to community organisations and all South Africans to join in numbers to fight in defence of the people’s asset and demand an end to load shedding.
#EFFMarch Coal truckers will also be joining the @EFFSouthAfrica Eskom March this morning. #sabcnews pic.twitter.com/QTwz68iNCS
— #TheLordOfTheMedia (@samkelemaseko) February 28, 2020
Traffic will be disrupted in Sandton north of Johannesburg during the EFF march to Eskom offices.
The march will start at Innnesfree park toward Megawatt Park.
In the audio below, Johannesburg Metro Police spokesperson, Wayne Minnaar says traffic will be diverted in several roads around Sandton
On Thursday Eskom said the possibility for load shedding has increased as some generation units will be taken off the system to conduct emergency repairs.
The power utility says the system remains constrained and unpredictable and that any additional shift in generating performance could lead to load shedding at short notice.
The power utility has also reminded South Africans of the increased possibility of load shedding in the next 18 months.
In a video below, Eskom warns of further load shedding
Ramaphosa addresses load shedding
Challenges facing the power utility Eskom have according to President Ramaphosa negatively affected the economy.
“The load shedding of the last few months has had a debilitating effect on our country.”
“It has severely set back our efforts to rebuild the economy and to create jobs. Every time it occurs, it disrupts people’s lives, causing frustration, inconvenience and hardship.”
