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Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema has claimed success in his party's bid to shutdown the country to protest against President Cyril Ramaphosa's incumbency and the energy crises in the country.

Speaking to party die-hards in Pretoria on Monday afternoon, Malema described his party’s shutdown as "the most successful shutdown ever in the history of struggle in South Africa", despite "intimidation" by law enforcement.

"We have been subjected to apartheid tactics for the last three days because of Bheki Cele, so he must know that all of those tactics have not worked," Malema told a crowd gathered at Church Square in Pretoria.

For most of Monday, the shutdown was characterized by sporadic protests in city centres as police and private security worked to control the protests.

"Today, on my way here, they [Eskom] said they are cancelling loadshedding for today because there is no demand for electricity, because the factories are closed," Malema told the crowd.

On Monday morning, Eskom announced that loadshedding would be suspended "due to the significantly lower than anticipated demand for electricity today".

While Eskom noted that the suspension of loadshedding was due to a decrease in demand, the EFF leader claimed it has his party's success.

"The consumers of electricity, which is big business, are closed, and that is how you should measure the success of this shutdown," Malema said.

"Today, there is no big mall or small mall, no factory, no school that is open today. All of them are closed. What makes matters worse, in Richards Bay, there is no single train that was seen. Today South Africa is shut down."

Most malls in the country remained open with some stores closing when EFF protestors gathered in their vicinity.

Most schools were closed due due to Tuesday being a public holiday.

While the numbers in Pretoria were sizable, gatherings in the Johannesburg CBD failed to live up to expectations.

Pointing to the closed shops around Church Square, Malema said: "Ramaphosa said to business, 'Open, I will protect you.' Malema says to business, close, and then look at who business listened to between Ramaphosa and Malema."

He lamented those saying shutdown was not successful, saying they were only measuring the success in comparison to the violent July 2021 unrest.

“They say the shutdown is not successful because there is no looting, because there is no burning of property or any leaders who are arrested. They want to project the EFF as an organization of anarchists; we are an organization of peaceful forces of the left which can shutdown the country without burning the buildings or looting. Looting is not our business," he said.

Malema said the most significant indicator that the EFF had achieved its purpose was that “the biggest centre of the economy in the whole of Africa, Sandton City as we speak today, has been closed down.”

“There is no shop at Sandton city that is open; why? Because the EFF has spoken and done so without burning a building or doing anything illegal,” said Malema.

Other EFF leaders made similar claims on Twitter that Sandton shops were closed, but people who went to Sandton City to shop refuted these claims.

Malema criticised the police's handling of the protest action, saying they had been heavy-handed in dealing with peaceful demonstrators.

"The police are the ones who are brutal, and the protesters are being peaceful. It can’t be the police themselves disturbing the protest that is acting outside the Constitution."

He added that "when they [the government] deployed more than 3 000 military personnel, the aim was to intimidate you, the aim was to have you run away. You went where the soldiers are and did not back down".

EFF national spokesperson Sinawo Tambo, echoing Malema’s sentiments, told News24 that they were concerned over the arrest of protesters on Sunday evening in Braamfontein, and their subsequent release without charges being laid against them.

He said this was a "clear demonstra...

The perjury case against suspended Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane has been postponed until 26 October for the outcome of her review application.

Mkhwebane made a brief appearance in the Pretoria Magistrate's Court on Friday.

Mkhwebane has asked the Gauteng High Court in Pretoria to review a National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) decision to prosecute her on two counts of perjury.

The NPA indicated in March last year that it wanted to proceed with the case.

The City of Tshwane has approached the Hawks to probe its former mayor, Murunwa Makwarela, for fraud, after it was revealed that he had produced a fake insolvency rehabilitation certificate.

"The City of Tshwane wishes to confirm that it has approached the Hawks to conduct a comprehensive investigation into the affairs of former speaker and executive mayor, Dr Murunwa Makwarela.

"In light of the unrehabilitated status of Dr Makwarela, the City of Tshwane might have been defrauded in allowing him to serve as a Cope PR councillor, conduct the functions of the speaker of the council, and to be elected as and serve as the executive mayor of the City of Tshwane," head of communications Selby Bokaba told News24.

The City believes it has overwhelming evidence and it wants to recoup the money paid to Makwarela while he served as a councillor.

Bokaba declined to reveal the amount the City hoped to recoup and said it would form part of the investigation.

Makwarela was declared insolvent in August 2016.

Although the law prohibits insolvent people from holding public office, he was elected as a councillor after the 2021 municipal elections.

He was elected as the mayor on 28 February.

Days later, his insolvency status emerged when the Democratic Alliance laid a complaint with city manager Johann Mettler.

He could not immediately produce a rehabilitation certificate when he was asked to do so.

Mettler declared a vacancy for his PR councillor position but, two days later, Makwarela furnished the City with a certificate which he claimed the Gauteng High Court in Pretoria had issued.

The court helped to end his political career on 10 March, when its registrar confirmed that such a certificate had never been issued.

He resigned an hour after the registrar's letter was made public, but insisted that his resignation was not an admission of guilt.

The Hawks probe will likely centre on all the communications and actions Makwarela took in the days he attempted to cling to power.

It will determine whether there is a case for his prosecution and the category of charges he will face if prosecuted.

News24 previously reported, based on public municipal records, that speakers in metros earn up to R1.1-million a year.

Makwarela served in the role since January 2022. The job's perks include security, a driver, and IT equipment.

Police Minister Bheki Cele asked his officers during a parade in Mayfair on Friday morning, whether they were afraid of those participating in next week's planned national shutdown.

He asked: "Ni ya ba saba na?" (Loosely translated: "Are you afraid of them?")

And the officers responded: "A si basabi, siya bafuna!" (Loosely translated: "We are not afraid, we want them!")

Cele ordered the police force to ensure citizens' safety during the shutdown.

"Those who would be marching have a right to do so. There are restrictions, ways and measures to be followed. They don't have any permission or right to harm, disturb, or block South Africans about to go with their plans for the day."

Cele added that his officers should also protect those going to work.

"Nobody should block or occupy roads at the expense of other road users. Nobody should loot or force anybody to close their shops or businesses. You shall be there. You shall refuse and stop anybody from preventing others in the country."

Cele said officers should apply minimum force. He added they must not hurt or injure anyone.

"You have the right to fill prisons. All police trucks must be on standby to load those who break the law.

"Police vans must be full. If there is no space, continue arresting them. They must sleep standing. Ensure the law takes its course and the law doesn't retreat. We will see later if they eat, drink or bathe."

Cele added that some citizens had been threatened.

"Many South Africans are on your side. Many don't want this nonsense. This nonsense mustn't happen. You are there to ensure this nonsense doesn't happen. Don't disappoint South Africans," he said.

National police commissioner, General Fannie Masemola said: "We shall maintain public order, protect inhabitants of the republic and their property."

"We shall uphold and enforce the law. We are going out there. South Africa has only law enforcement in the country to protect them. Exercise maximum constraints.

"Where inhabitants go out of line, bring them back. You are trained on how to bring them back. Use minimum force to bring them back," he said.

He called on the police to also protect those who would be protesting or marching, and those who wouldn't be participating.

"Act calm at all times. Be firm. Do your work without fear," he said.

Using Afrikaans, Gauteng commissioner, Lieutenant General Elias Mawela told officers: "Geen staan en kyk (no standing and watching) in Gauteng.

"Anyone who dares commit crime, geen staan en kyk. Anyone who dares intimidate people, geen staan en kyk. We will not stand and watch people break down the country. That is how the mission was read to us. We know what to do.

"Team Gauteng, geen staan en kyk. Let us go out there and do what we are directed to do."

Public servants who have agreed to return to work have not won a further salary increase and will face deductions on pay for the next four months as the no-work, no-pay rule is implemented.

The 3% cost-of-living increase, which the government had offered before the strike, has already been implemented for all employees in the public sector.

The only concession on pay to striking trade unions is that they will be permitted to raise historic issues from the 2022/23 wage settlement in talks on the 2023/24 financial year. But there is no guarantee any further concessions will be made, particularly as negotiations for the new year are already close to conclusion.

A second concession is that no disciplinary action will be taken against employees for participating in the illegal strike. Deductions for no work, no pay will be staggered over the next four months.

The settlement between the striking unions – which included the National Education and Health Workers Union (Nehawu) and the Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union (Popcru) – and the government states:

This agreement is a full and final settlement of the disputes that emanated from the negotiations on the bettering of conditions of service for the 2022/2023 financial year.Parties agree that trade unions will have the right to table proposed additions. to address their concerns. as part of the 2023/24 wage negotiations.

The striking unions will now join the process to negotiate the 2023/24 wage settlement, which they boycotted up until now. However, they constitute a minority in the Public Sector Co-ordination Bargaining Chamber (PSCBC) in which majority unions – the affiliates of the Federation of Unions of SA (Fedusa) and the SA Democratic Teachers Union (Sadtu) – are already close to a final settlement with the government.

Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, who briefed journalists on the outcome of the Cabinet meeting on Thursday, mistakenly announced that a settlement had already been reached.

President Cyril Ramaphosa has weighed in on the planned Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) shutdown saying South Africa will "not allow anarchy and disorder."

Ramaphosa said the only recognised means of changing a regime in South Africa is through elections and not "attempts to promote an insurrection."

"We met with our security cluster yesterday, and they will defend our people from any planned attempts to destabilise the country," said Ramaphosa.

He was speaking on the sidelines of the state visit by Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan at the Union Buildings on Thursday.

The South African National Defence Force (SANDF) will be on standby to assist the police to deal with any violence that may arise from the Economic Freedom Fighters' (EFF's) planned countrywide shutdown on Monday.

On Thursday, ministers in the government's security cluster briefed journalists at a media conference on the Cabinet meeting that was held on Wednesday.

Asked if the SANDF would be deployed in affected areas, Defence Minister Thandi Modise said: "We are on standby. There is capacity, and South Africans, they will be protected and not be violated."

She also said one weakness for the security cluster was that people were allowed to use social media to plan riots and intimidate others.

"This time we will not let it go. That is a weakness that we will accept," she said.

The EFF is organising nationwide marches to protest against loadshedding on Monday and will call on President Cyril Ramaphosa to resign.

The party has vowed to shut down the entire country.

Police Minister Bheki Cele said government lauded residents and businesses who refused to be intimidated or bullied. He gave the assurance that all citizens and their property would be protected.

"We also want to caution against the spreading of messages of fear, intimidation or inflammatory statements that could incite violence. This is a criminal offence. We are aware of many social media accounts claiming that hundreds and thousands of followers are being mobilised to support the protest."

"The majority of communities and various sectors of society, including Santaco, National Taxi Association, the Road Freight Association and organised structures within communities, have rejected this call," Cele said.

According to Cele, the situation will be closely monitored throughout the country, and officers will act swiftly against any threats or disruptions.

"There will be high police visibility. Our law enforcement agencies through the NatJoints (National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure) will ensure multidisciplinary deployments, and the necessary contingency plans are already in place. The NatJoints will be briefing the nation on its plans for the planned protest," he said.

Cele emphasised that all government services would be available as normal.

"Heads of government departments and accounting officers in the public service will continue to ensure that our citizens receive the services they expect from their government. We encourage our communities to report any form of criminality and intimidation to their nearest police station or call the Crime Stop number," he said.

Cele said Monday would be a normal working day for all citizens.

"We assure every citizen that they must and should go on with their business as usual without any fear from anyone. The security cluster is fully prepared and will deal with any disruption caused by this protest action," he said.

The public service wage strike has ended after unions, and the government announced on Wednesday that they had reached a settlement.

Neither the government nor trade unions disclosed the terms, which are still being processed. The unions had demanded a 10% increase. Before the strike, the government had offered a 3% increase plus an R1 000 cash gratuity.

The strike saw public health services crippled in many areas, with patients left unattended and turned away from hospitals and clinics. The National Education and Health Workers Union (Nehawu), the biggest public sector union involved in the strike, has called on its members to return to work.

In a statement, the Department of Public Service and Administration said:

The settlement agreement paves the way for the parties to return to the 2023/24 wage negotiations. As part of managing the return of all parties to the negotiations, a Special Council has been convened for today, 15 March 2023, to receive the submission of residual matters emanating from the 2022/23 wage negotiations.

The National Education and Health Workers Union (Nehawu), the biggest public sector union, said that "the strike has registered significant achievements and outcomes".

Nehawu said that, among other things, the government had agreed "to augment the increment" for the 2022/23 year.

"The employer has agreed that residual and substantive matters emanating from 2022/2023 wage dispute related to the cost of living allowance shall be tabled and positively dealt with and concluded as part of 2023/2024 wage negotiations," it said.

The government had also agreed to negotiate a minimum service level agreement for the public sector within six months. This would set out the conditions and provisions under which essential services workers can strike.

"The conclusion of the agreement will ensure a proper balance in adherence to the Constitution’s provision on the right to strike and the mandatory requirements regarding the designated essential services. This is a major step forward arising from the strike as the government has consistently refused to align itself with the requirements emanating from the declaration of essential services by the Essential Services Commission in line with the Labour Relations Act."

Nehawu said that it was pleased to have forced the government back to the negotiating table after the unilateral implementation of the wage offer for 2022/23. It said in-principle agreement had been reached between the parties that government would not resort to unilateralism again and would first explore all dispute resolution mechanisms offered by the Public Sector Coordinating Bargaining Council (PSCBC).

Negotiations for the 2023/24 wage increase have already begun in the PSCBC. The new round of wage talks have been boycotted by the striking unions, which government said would now come to the table. In a recent development this week, unions affiliated to Fedusa, which are attending negotiations, said that government had already upped its offer to 7%.

Former Johannesburg mayor Mpho Phalatse will be standing for election as the Democratic Alliance’s (DA’s) federal leader at the party’s Federal Congress in April.

Phalatse was ousted as Johannesburg mayor in January, after facing several motions over the last four months that were supported by different parties in the council.

She will go up against party leader John Steenhuisen and Lungile Phenyane for the party’s top post. Phenyane is contesting all of the positions.

Nominations for the candidates standing for election opened on February 6 and closed on March 13.

The party will hold its Federal Congress on April 1 and 2.

The DA announced on Wednesday that alongside the Federal Congress, members of the Federal Council will vote for the Chairperson and three Deputy Chairpersons of the Federal Council, as well as the Federal Finance Chairperson.

Candidates standing for Deputy Chairperson of the Federal Council are Annelie Lotriet, Ashor Sarupen, James Masango, Phenyane, Segope Sathekge, Thomas Walters and Tyrone Gray.

Candidates for Chairperson of the Federal Council include current chair Helen Zille and Phenyane.

Candidates for the party’s Deputy Federal Chairpersons are Anton Bredell, Jean-Pierre Smith, Phenyane, Natasha Mazzone, Nqaba Bhanga, Refiloe Nt’sekhe, Shehana Kajee and Solly Malatsi.

Candidates for Federal Chairperson are Ivan Meyer, Phenyane and Qhawekazi Mbatha.

Dion George and Phenyane will run for the position of Federal Finance Chairperson.

The party said it was pleased with the diversity of its candidates as well as the provincial representation and the age diversity.

“We can also confirm that the nomination process was thorough and democratic,” the party said.

Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema promised that all essential services will be protected during the party’s national shutdown, and said the EFF will ensure that workers who provide essential services – police, nurses and health workers – have access to their work place without any difficulty.

The party will be protesting across the country on Monday, in a bid to bring an end to loadshedding and unemployment and it will call on President Cyril Ramaphosa to resign.

Malema added that the party’s structures would be cooperative, and ensure that clinics and hospitals were functional.

In addition, he said the party would not tamper with the National Education Health and Allied Workers Union strike.

The EFF has also met with the South African National Taxi Council to brief the association of the party’s plans.

“. the taxis and all of that should take that into consideration as they prepare for that day [March 20] to operate. So there shouldn’t be unnecessary conflict and confrontation between ourselves and the taxis because we all belong to the same class and, therefore, to have the working class fighting each other is to please capital and it is not in the interest of all of us,” Malema said.

Political parties have condemned the EFF’s looming national shutdown, and have warned that it could fuel further economic uncertainty and expose the ineffectiveness of the country’s police.

Malema said the party was not threatening violence.

“We want to hold the President accountable because he has violated his oath of office and, therefore, we cannot fold our arms when the country is on a brink of collapse,” he said.

Responding to reports that the EFF had called for business to shut down or face looting, Malema clarified that the party is not asking shops to close, rather it is making business owners and operators aware that there will be a protest on the day, and is urging them to make preparations.

He explained that this protest would not have a starting point and finishing point. He said wherever fighters are they will gather and protest.

He called on “patriotic South Africans and fellow fighters” to identify spots to occupy to make their voices heard.

“If the Union Building is such a centre where we could be heard, let’s go, we will meet there. The branch of the EFF in that area must make sure that there is an activity that demonstrates that we can be heard. If we can be heard at the Johannesburg Stock Exchange, why not? Go and occupy the Johannesburg Stock Exchange and protest there and show white capital that as you grow your shares and monies a lot of people are being left behind,” he said.

The party revealed support from the African Transformation Movement, South African Federation of Trade Unions and non-governmental organisations.

Meanwhile, the DA announced on Tuesday that it was heading to court for an urgent interdict against the EFF’s shutdown.

Malema said the DA had actually approved the EFF’s protest in the Western Cape, and in the Metro in particular.

The City of Cape Town and the Western Cape Government have said they will oppose the shutdown.

He said his party had been made aware that the DA had taken a decision to defend Ramaphosa and accused it of masquerading its defence of the President behind claims to be protecting businesses and the economy of South Africa.

“Not the DA, no one can stop the EFF. Everything else John [Steenhuisen] was doing yesterday, he was just a PR to demonstrate to his funders that he is doing something in defence of Ramaphosa, but in reality he knows that he can’t stop the EFF,” said Malema.

Malema said any workers who are treated unfairly because of the shutdown, will be represented by the EFF labour desk.

He asked how the ‘no work no pay’ policy could be applied when workers were restricted from going to work only to find roads closed by protestors.

He said this was exactly what will happen on Monday.

“No one can say to a worker that ‘you didn’t come to work, you went to the...