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national shutdownlatest news & developments
One in every five girls across sub-Saharan Africa has experienced rape or sexual assault before turning 18 . Photo: File

SA declares gender-based violence and femicide a national disaster amid rising crisis

GBVF is now officially a national disaster, requiring all levels of government to intensify prevention, support services and long-term interventions

Thousands of workers took to the streets of Johannesburg (pictured), Durban and Cape Town and others stayed home in support of Cosatu’s industrial action on Thursday. Photo: Supplied/Cosatu

Cosatu ‘heartened’ by worker support for national stayaway

Among the labour federation’s demands are that pension reforms be implemented on 1 March 2024 and intervention municipalities that fail to employees

Cantankerous: Julis Malema argues with police at the presidential guest house in Pretoria. Photo: Emmanuel Croset/Getty Images

EFF marched but it was no Sri Lanka moment

Police Minister Bheki Cele and his team of officers appear to be better at arresting radials than criminals

The attempt by the EFF to effect a national shutdown on Monday has dominated national debate.

EFF shutdown wasn’t a total failure, says analyst

But the party’s ‘aspirations of chaos’ must be curbed and it alienates mostly peace-loving citizens with rhetoric that borders on ‘warmongering’

Julius Malema, leader of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), center right, during a national shutdown protest, organised by the EFF, outside of the presidential guest house in Pretoria, South Africa, on Monday. (Guillem Sartorio/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Shutdown aftermath: Case for a new United Democratic Front

Eligible voters no longer vote; they don’t trust any politician. The UDF, a coalition of hundreds of small organisations, could be an answer

EFF leader Julius Malema (Oupa Nkosi)

Malema claims shutdown victory, but state says it flopped

Police said that by 10pm on Monday night, at least 550 protestors had been arrested and 24 300 tyres were confiscated

Eighty-seven protestors had been arrested for public violence-related offences since Sunday night. (Photo by Ihsaan Haffejee/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)

87 shutdown protestors arrested, more than 24 000 tyres seized

Julius Malema has touted the shutdown as the start of a ‘revolution’

Red-letter day: Economic Freedom Fighters leader Julius Malema at the head of a march. He has said that Monday’s protests will be peaceful. Photo: Felix Dlangamandla/Gallo Images
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Shutdown is EFF’s dry run for the polls

The stayaway will test the party’s leadership, machinery and ability to mobilise its supporters on the streets and in the election booths

Unions failed to shut down the economy on August 24. Growing membership and better leadership are vital for them to be an effective social force. Photo: Delwyn Verasamy

Unions must solve problems of credibility and organisation if they are to effect change

Unions failed to shut down the economy on August 24. Growing membership and better leadership are vital for them to be an effective social force

Deputy President David Mabuza has offered to resign. (Jairus Mmutle/GCIS)

I’m all Pfizered up, but still broke

Paddy Harper isn’t the only one who’s broke: everyone from Zuma to Luthuli House, never mind the chronically unemployed, is feeling the pinch these days

South African National Defence Force soldiers and South Africa Police Services (SAPS) members line up in front of the Phoenix Police Station in Durban, on July 21, 2021. File photo by Marco Longari/AFP via Getty Images

Security forces remain on alert as ‘national shutdown’ fails to materialise

Only a handful of attempts to blockade roads took place in response to Monday’s shutdown call

Jacob Zuma will not hand himself over to the police by Sunday, according to his son. (Oupa Nkosi)

Zuma has no plans to report to a police station, his son threatens to ‘shoot to kill any policeman that comes near us’

ANC leaders are to ask deputy secretary general Jesse Duarte discuss his 15-month sentence and to call on his supporters to return to their homes