How ANCYL plans to shut down Cape

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The ANC Youth League will shut down Cape Town by mobilising thousands of supporters to block the main highways in and out of the city. The Daily Voice on Monday revealed details of how the protest leaders are planning to put Cape Town on lockdown this week. Youth League leaders will cause traffic gridlock mayhem by taking over strategic parts of the N1 and N2. Buses and taxis will also be taken off the road - meaning no one will be able to get to work on the day. And thousands of fedup residents from Khayelitsha, Langa, Mfuleni and other townships will be mobilised for a massive march on the city.

Youth League supporters, the ANC Women’s League, Cosatu and numerous taxi associations will also take part in the unprecedented mass action.

The ANCYL has given the Western Cape Premier Helen Zille until tomorrow (Tuesday) to give a “satisfactory” response to an array of demands.

These include a detailed timeline for better housing, sanitation and basic toilet facilities.

The battle lines have been clearly drawn ahead of the day of mass action.

ANCYL regional committee member, Loyiso Nkohla, warns all hell will break loose if Zille responds with “just more promises”.

“All we want is a positive response,” Nkohla tells the Daily Voice.

“But if we do not get that, we will not back down or retreat from the statements we have made to make this province ungovernable.

“It is those people who burn traffic lights that we want on our side on the day.”

But the City warns it will order cops to “take whatever action needs to be taken” if the protesters break the law.

“If the Youth League does respond with violence then we have law enforcement officers to deal with them,” Zille’s spokesman Zak Mbhele told the Daily Voice.

Provincial government officials are still working on their official response to the ANCYL’s demands.

Sithembile Majova, 22, who lives in the dilapidated TR Section of Khayelitsha, warns the city will no longer be able to ignore the voices of the Mother City’s poorest residents.

“It is now obvious that marching alone is not effective,” Sithembile told the Daily Voice.

“We march and hand over memorandums, but all that happens is that those pieces of paper end up in dustbins.

“We will no longer march for the sake of marching. Now we will show our anger. And different people have their own ways of demonstrating their anger.

“We TR Section residents have the privilege of living next to the N2 and we can take control of it easily. On that day everything has to stop - nothing will happen on the day.

“She [Zille] has to stand up and finally take notice of us. If we have to go to her office, take her and bring her to the shacks we live in, then that’s what we will do.”

Meanwhile on Friday, ANC Ward 90 councillor Luvuyo Hebe, and ANCYL Branch Sector Secretary Khaya July made a brief appearance at the Khayelitsha Magistrates’ Court.

A group of about 40 residents gathered outside the courthouse to protest in support of three members who were arrested at a service delivery protest the day before and charged with public violence.

The case was postponed for further investigation.

* This article was published in the Daily Voice

* IOL has closed comments on this story due to the high volume of racist and/or derogatory comments.