The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) may soon meet the City of Cape Town in court over damages to municipal property following their protest against racism in Brackenfell on Friday, November 20.
The City is determining the cost of damages to municipal property following the protest, with the intent of recovering these through civil action.
“Preliminary reports indicate a fire engine was torched, roads and traffic lights were damaged, and a field was set alight by EFF protesters. Car dealership windows were smashed at the corner of Paradys and Old Paarl Road, with private vehicles damaged due to stoning and several shops looted according to reports,” said the City in a statement.
“The City notes the violation of national lockdown regulations, forceful attempts to violate the SAPS conditions placed on the number of protesters, and the violation of the EFF’s own commitment of non-violence to both the police and the Western Cape High Court.”
“I strongly condemn the violent actions and violation of agreed conditions with the SAPS and High Court that took place during the EFF protest in Brackenfell today. The EFF made it clear that they have no regard for the rule of law, and the City Manager has indicated to me that senior officials are assessing the cost of the damage to city infrastructure,” said Mayor Dan Plato.
“Once a full assessment has been done, the City will be recovering these costs from the EFF. I want to assure the public that we will not tolerate lawlessness in this City and the EFF will be held accountable for the damage caused. Where private property has been damaged during today’s protest action, I want to encourage property owners to alert the City so that our legal team can assess the feasibility of private property owners joining the city’s case against the EFF.”
In response to the City’s intentions to take civil action, EFF Western Cape chairperson Melikhaya Xego said they will not pay for anything.
“The City is very insensitive about the situation. They are inconsiderate because, first of all, we applied to march, our application was approved and granted. The first day we marched, people vandalised our cars,” EFF Western Cape chairperson Melikhaya Xego told the Cape Argus.
’”The people who assaulted us didn’t apply for a limit (to their gathering), but nothing happened to them. The PAC marched without an application and were brutalised by police. The Cape Party marched without any permit.”
“This is what we expected from the City. They are racist, let’s go meet in court, we are not paying anything.”
Hundreds of protestors arrived in Brackenfell on Friday, despite only being given permission for 100 protestors. They were met with water cannons, riot police and stun grenades. Friday’s protest is part of an ongoing battle with the school regarding a matric dance party that allegedly only hosted white students.
The school is also being probed by the Western Cape Department of Education (WCED) after it emerged that no black teachers had been employed by the school since 1994.
Picture: Twitter / Economic Freedom Fighters