Sunday Times E-Edition

Business defies EFF’s call

Companies will be open but are taking extra precautions ahead of tomorrow’s ‘national shutdown’

By KHULEKANI MAGUBANE and THABISO MOCHIKO

● Big business plans to defy the EFF’s call for a “national shutdown” tomorrow, though retailers, shopping malls and key economic hubs such as airports and ports have beefed up security.

The EFF has called for the shutdown to back its demand that President Cyril Ramaphosa leave office and to protest against load-shedding. Its tactics have included threats to businesses that remain open.

Businesses planning to operate are taking precautions as the 2021 riots that hit KwaZulu-Natal and, to a lesser extent, Gauteng and Mpumalanga, are still fresh in people’s minds.

Brian Leroni, vice-president of corporate affairs at Massmart, which owns Makro, Game and Builders Warehouse, said while stores will be open tomorrow, the group has clear guidelines that fully empower managers to act at their discretion regarding closures.

Woolworths spokesperson Silindile Gumede said the company would trade tomorrow and brief its stores on how to deal with possible disruptions to ensure the safety of its staff and customers.

“We remain in contact with the appropriate forums and authorities to ensure we have information which will help us make timeous decisions in relation to the anticipated action,” said Gumede.

Toyota has decided to close its Durban plant tomorrow.

Donald Kau, spokesperson for the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town, said: “We plan to operate as normal. We do not share the detail of our security planning. We plan to ensure proper safety and security for tenants and visitors to the Waterfront.”

Vuyo Mtawa, communications head for the Old Mutual Group, which owns the Gateway Mall in Durban, said the company “will continue to monitor the situation and will respond as appropriate”.

Underscoring how tense the situation is, several businesses, including Pick n Pay, TFG and mall-owner Liberty2Degrees, declined to comment on their plans.

Airports Company South Africa spokesperson Gopolang Peme said all nine of the entity’s airports would be open and operational tomorrow. He said legislative instruments are in place to ensure members of that public are safe at the airports which have designated areas for peaceful protest with no disruption to scheduled flights.

Meanwhile Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa spokesperson Andiswa Makanda said trains will be operating.

“Prasa has a security plan designed to ensure passenger and staff safety. Assets and rail infrastructure are protected during operating hours and non-operating hours. Like all security plans, it is dynamic and responsive to any change in circumstances.”

Transnet spokesperson Ayanda Shezi said the state-owned logistics company was working with stakeholders to ensure business continuity.

“The plans will take into consideration operational demands and available capacity. Transnet’s priority remains to ensure the safety of its operations and employees. Transnet will continuously monitor the situation and adjust its contingency plans accordingly.”

Eskom spokesperson Daphne Mokwena said: “We are not expecting employees to take part in [the shutdown] because they are essential services.”

Business Unity South Africa (Busa) CEO Cas Coovadia said: “The EFF warning of the looting of businesses, shops, factories, and other service providers if they do not stop operations in support of the national shutdown is a complete disregard for the consti

tutional rights of others.

“Law-enforcement agencies must protect the rights of all South Africans. On March 20 the EFF must act responsibly, respect the constitutional rights of others and conduct its protest within the law.”

Coovadia said that while Busa shared South Africans’ frustration with load-shedding, stagnant economic growth, high unemployment, and other economic headwinds, the disruption of the economy by a minority would aggravate the already dire situation and increase the hardship for all.

Addressing the media after a meeting with Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan at the Union Buildings in Pretoria on Thursday, Ramaphosa said law enforcement will be present and vigilant for any signs of lawless protest.

“Disorder and anarchy will not be in allowed in South Africa. We will not allow those who want to spread anarchy to do what they like here in South Africa. We are a constitutional democracy.”

He said he met the National Security Council on Wednesday to discuss the stayaway.

“We will see what happens, but then again, it is interesting that Monday is a long weekend. Many of our people will probably be travelling to their homes and we expect that there will be full order and harmony in our country, but security forces stand ready to defend the people of South Africa,” Ramaphosa said.

The EFF demand that he step down was a political ploy with next year’s general election in mind, Ramaphosa added.

The EFF warning of the looting of businesses, shops, factories, and other service providers if they do not stop operations in support of the national shutdown is a complete disregard for the constitutional rights of others

Cas Coovadia

CEO Business Unity South Africa

Solidarity head of research Connie Mulder said the union had received several queries from members and their employers regarding their safety, but he said Solidarity believed there was nothing to fear.

“We will allow Mr Malema the privilege of closing schools on a school holiday. But we expect it to be another working day and we will not accept the intimidation of our members or their employers,” said Mulder.

While the EFF was free to protest, telling people to join the protest “or else” was violation of their rights, he said.

During a post-cabinet briefing in Pretoria on Thursday, minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni said the justice, crime prevention & security cluster was working to ensure lawlessness would not be tolerated and called the planned protest “irresponsible and reckless”.

“The alleged demands about ending load-shedding, the high cost of living and the high unemployment rate were addressed by President Ramaphosa during the state of the nation address on February 9,” Ntshavheni said. “Therefore, the only demand which is the basis of this protest action is the plan to remove President Ramaphosa from office through unconstitutional means. We want to inform all that regime change through unconstitutional means will not happen,” she added.

Ntshavheni denied claims by the organisers of the stayaway they had pushed the cabinet to close schools for seven days.

“The schools calendar for public and private schools, which was gazetted in March 2022, already provides for March 20 2023 as a special school holiday. It has always been clear that there are attempts to claim easy victories,” Ntshavheni added.

Business Times

en-za

2023-03-19T07:00:00.0000000Z

2023-03-19T07:00:00.0000000Z

https://times-e-editions.pressreader.com/article/282213720060113

Arena Holdings PTY