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Education activist Hendrick Makaneta has called on the National Assembly to urgently declare a state of emergency following threats to life by ongoing protests which have become violent.

“We have seen for ourselves on television how the lives of truck drivers and other drivers were threatened by those who are hellbent on destroying property. We also saw police responding with arms to those who are looting businesses in both KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng provinces. There is no doubt that the arrest of former president Jacob Zuma has brought the country to this undesirable situation. The National Assembly should urgently declare a state of emergency as the life of the nation is threatened by the ongoing protests which are obviously causing disorder.” Makaneta said.

Section 37(1)(a) empowers the National Assembly to respond to a situation that we currently find ourselves under. There is no doubt that the ongoing disorder threatens the stability of the country and its economy as hundreds of millions of rands stand to be lost at a time when the country is also grappling with the invisible enemy of Covid-19. Government has a duty to protect life and property and maintain the general well-being of every citizen of our country. 

It is very disturbing that learners of our country are exposed to explicit scenes of violence on television, and this will certainly add fuel to the fire in the country and may forever damage our future leaders as they too will think that the only way to address problems is through violence. The last time we witnessed these kinds of violent confrontations was in the early nineties when the Inkatha and the ANC were engaged in violent attacks against each other and as expected the biggest casualties were ordinary people. If this current wave of violent protests is not curbed through a state of emergency, the biggest casualties will be ordinary people who are themselves already struggling to make ends meet.

The loss that has already taken place in KwaZulu-Natal is enough, we cannot afford to lose more resources in our economy. The rule of law must be observed, and the supremacy of the constitution should also prevail but right now we are already in a state of emergency and if the National Assembly cannot use the powers granted by the constitution, the South African economy may take strain. We owe it to our country and its people to preserve our resources especially at this difficult time.

The scenes that we are witnessing daily on television are disturbing, to say the least. 

“We call on people not to make things worse by sharing such disturbing images of violence on social media as doing so further causes anarchy. The current disturbing visuals are dishonouring those who fought and suffered for justice and freedom in our country. The current violent protests are undermining the vision of our forebears and will certainly turn South Africa into a laughingstock in the family of nations” Makaneta added

Issued by education activist Hendrick Makaneta