The group, calling itself “Gatvol Citizens” will march to Luthuli House calling for the removal of President Cyril Ramaphosa.
Johannesburg – A grouping that has branded itself as Gatvol Citizens of South Africa says it will on Monday march to the ANC’s Luthuli House headquarters in Johannesburg to demand for the removal of President Cyril Ramaphosa.
The group claims that Ramaphosa has “sold out the country to his white and foreign friends”. They say if he is not recalled, the ruling party stands to lose political power.
The national organiser of the march, Mduduzi Nkambule, told Independent Media on Thursday “Ramaphosa must go now or face nationwide protests”.
He said the reason behind approaching the ANC was that it is the only party that can fast track the removal of Ramaphosa from power.
“We feel that the president is being used by his outside friends to destroy the ANC and get it out of power. We cannot allow the president and his white friends to kill the movement.
“As concerned citizens, we feel that we are losing the only thing we have in this country, which is political power,” Nkambuke said.
Nkambule, an ANC member from Bloemfontein, denied the march mirrored the factionalism that was ravaging through the governing party.
“This march has nothing to do with factionalism in the ANC… we are just concerned the president is being used to destroy the party,” he said.
However, the membership and the public appeal of the planned protest march to Luthuli House was not known.
When Nkambule was asked who else would take part in the protest and under what political banner, he said they decided not to organise the march under any political banner but mobilise all South Africans who are “gatvol with Ramaphosa’s rule”.
“This will be a protest march by people from all walks of life who will be demanding that Ramaphosa must go and must go now. We are not under any political formation but just gatvol South African citizens,” he said.
Ramaphosa’s acting spokesperson, Tyrone Seale, requested that a request for comment on the march and the allegations of “selling out” levelled against Ramaphosa by Nkambule be directed to the ANC.
ANC spokesperson, Pule Mabe, did not respond to repeated queries about the march by the group.
The spokesperson of Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD), said according to their official records, there was no notice served to their events office for this proposed march by Nkambule’s group.
Nkambule did indicate to Independent Media they were aware that the country was under lockdown and large gatherings were not allowed. As a result, he said they would stick to the permitted number of people and practice all Covid-19 safety regulations. He also said they had not applied for permission from JMPD as they would have not been granted one.
Political Bureau
