The EFF is forging ahead with its planned protest in Phoenix, KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), on Thursday and in the midst of social cohesion efforts to bridge racial divisions in the Durban North suburb, Julius Malema’s Red Berets will be in town to amplify their disgruntlement with the Indian community.
EFF protest in Phoenix: Everything you need to know
The opposition party’s leaders have been on a campaign run on social media, encouraging as many of its supporters as possible to join the march to “demand justice for victims of the Phoenix massacre.”
The #EFFinPhoenix to demand justice for victims of the #PhoenixMassacre: this is where over 30 innocent African people were slaughtered in their own country, in a state celebrated Indian Anti-African orgy of violence! Their sin: being African! #JusticeForPhoenixMassacre pic.twitter.com/Zazdombvl7
— Mbuyiseni Ndlozi (@MbuyiseniNdlozi) August 5, 2021
Red Beret ground forces are scheduled to meet at Gandhi Park at 10:00. On Wednesday, party leaders met with church leaders in Phoenix to dissect the true motivations behind the protest and according to EFF provincial chairperson Vusi Khoza, this was more of a ‘unity’ march than a race-baiting demonstration.
“We are going to Phoenix to say we don’t agree with what happened and reject all racial tensions. We are saying the community of Phoenix must come forward and assist police in arresting those behind these killings. The church leaders told us what we already know — not all Indians are racists and not all residents of Phoenix are racist,” he said.
However, this is far removed from the rhetoric EFF leaders have been using to raise awareness about the protest on social media. The poster being used to promote the political event still tags the march as a demonstration “against racist Indians.”
Road closures in Phoenix on Thursday, 5 August 2021
DA leader John Steenhuisen’s attempts to prevent the protest from taking place have not yielded desired outcomes, it seems.
The official opposition leader wrote to the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) warning that the EFF was using the traumas of the massacre “to stir up racial tensions and inflame violence between black and Indian residents.”
From what we understand, the protest has been approved by the eThekwini municipality and public order police have been tasked with monitoring events to ensure that no violence breaks out.
Motorists and commuters have been advised to avoid using roads in and around the path between Gandhi Park and the Phoenix police station, where EFF protesters will be demonstrating.
This is a developing story and more updates will be provided as they trickle in from reporters on the ground.