The streets of Tshwane will be shutdown on November 2 to defend democracy and stop alleged “state capture” by the controversial Gupta family, the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) said on Thursday.
EFF leader Julius Malema advised businesses to shut down on the day when Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan appears in the Pretoria Regional Court on charges of fraud.
“The EFF has already submitted an application for a protest action in Tshwane and has been approved. The EFF calls on all South Africans of all creed, from all religious backgrounds, all strata, and all races to unite in the struggle for free education, defence of South Africa’s democracy and against state capture,” Malema told reporters in Johannesburg.
The people of South Africa must stand united against the “Zuma and Gupta nonsense”, which is corruptly robbing South Africa of its needed scarce resources and failing to provide free education to deserving students.
The National Prosecution Authority (NPA) announced on Tuesday that it has laid fraud charges against Gordhan and two former South African Revenue Service officials – former commissioner Oupa Magashula and former deputy commissioner Ivan Pillay.
The fraud charges related to the early retirement of Pillay granted by Gordhan. They were all expected to appear in court on November 2.
However, on Wednesday, NPA boss Shaun Abrahams made a u-turn on the Gordhan case . Briefing Parliament’s portfolio committee on justice, Abrahams told MPs he was willing to review his decision to prosecute the finance minister if he receives representations from Gordhan’s legal team.
“The decision to prosecute was made on a recommendation of … the special director who heads the priority crimes litigation unit in consultation with the director of prosecutions in North Gauteng,” Abrahams told the committee.
“Now section 179 (5) of the Constitution and section 22 (2) of the National Prosecuting Authority Act enjoins me as the national director to review the matter and to investigate representations from an accused or any other person affected, the complainant as well … I’m more than willing to review any matter if somebody applies to me to review that matter.”
Malema said Abrahams’ charges were “a concoction” and cant be in the public interest.
“Shaun acted under pressure and not in the best interest of justice, that is why he said will review the case if Gordhan made representations … why would he do that if he had a water tight case? And Shaun wants us to take him serious? We will take her seriously when he charges Zuma with the outstanding 700 charges … the judge said charge Zuma and he is running away from that by charging minister with flimsy fraud charges.”
Malema said the EFF would on November 2 demand fee higher education, and that President Jacob Zuma and Abrahams step down from their positions.
In May, Malema told reporters during a local government election campaign that Gordhan would be arrested and replaced by Eskom boss Brian Molefe as finance minister.
“The plan is to remove Gordhan and place their crony to loot the treasury. They are using the NPA to charge and remove Gordhan. Gordhan must go to court and prove his case against this government.”
Anti-apartheid struggle veteran Ahmed Kathrada pledged his support for Gordhan and his co-accused and said he would be in court accompanied by other struggle veterans.
Political parties including the Inkatha Freedom Party, Democratic Alliance, the South African Communist Party condemned the NPA’s move and said charging a finance minister during vulnerable economic conditions was not good for South Africa.
However, Malema said the ANC veterans could not be trusted anymore.
“One moment they call for Zuma to go, and the next moment they encourage people to vote the ANC … they do not know what they want.”
South Africa Today – South Africa News
