For Creamer Media in Johannesburg, I’m Halima Frost.

Making headlines: EFF celebrates shutdown 'success' despite visibly low turnout; Ramaphosa says no-one should be forced or threatened to join protests; And, DA says Cloete Murray assassination a blow to the fight against corruption

EFF celebrates shutdown 'success' despite visibly low turnout

By midday, the Economic Freedom Fighters' shutdown had not developed into the mass action the party had punted, even though it pre-emptively described the shutdown as a success.

The protest action was characterised by small skirmishes, and in parts of the country, it was reported that demonstrators had used rocks and burning tyres to block roads.

Police, metro police officials and private security officials acted swiftly to clamp down on illegal action, stopping protesters dead in their tracks.

By Monday morning, at least 87 people had been arrested for public violence across the country in just over 12 hours.

According to national police spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe, 41 people were arrested in Gauteng, 29 in the North West, and 15 in the Free State.

There were also arrests in Mpumalanga and the Eastern Cape.

Ramaphosa says no-one should be forced or threatened to join protests

President Cyril Ramaphosa affirmed that government needs to be resolute in its defence of the right to peaceful protest.

Ramaphosa wrote in his weekly letter to the nation that in fulfilment of its constitutional responsibility to protect the rights of all people, government would always have measures in place to ensure that everyone who wanted to go to work, travel for leisure and conduct business could do so in a safe and secure environment.

He said these measures included the deployment of the country’s security personnel across the country to ensure that the law was observed.

Government has deployed 3 474 members of the South African National Defence Force across the country in response to the EFF’s protest.

Ramaphosa said as citizens gathered to celebrate Human Rights Day tomorrow they should recall that the rights being enjoyed today were the result of great sacrifices.

And, DA says Cloete Murray assassination a blow to the fight against corruption

The Democratic Alliance wants funding for political VIP protection to be slashed, and, instead, wants greater protection provided to whistleblowers, corruption fighters and front-line policing.

The party expressed its condolences to the family and friends of court-appointed Bosasa liquidator Cloete Murray and his son Thomas, who were shot in a suspected assassination in Midrand, over the weekend. 

DA national spokesperson Solly Malatsi explained that by better protecting those who expose and investigate corruption, South Africa would be better positioned to tackle the “mafia State” head-on.

The party has previously revealed that the cost of protecting one VIP in South Africa was approximately R8-million for the 2021/22 financial year.

Malatsi noted that Murray’s assassination served as a blow to the fight against corruption and may act as a deterrent to curators and liquidators involved in serious corruption matters.

He said Murray’s murder joined a long list of both attempted and fatal hits on persons involved in uncovering and eradicating corruption in the country.

That’s a roundup of news making headlines today

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