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There are threats of a national shutdown this coming weekend, with Newcastle SAPS Station Commander, Brigadier Leon Matthysen confirming that law enforcement has planned for the said shutdown. However, he did not divulge what these plans entailed.
This follows posts currently circulating on social media, which call for a shutdown across the country—urging that nobody goes to work bringing the country to a standstill.
The planned shutdown is due to the fuel prices reaching exorbitant levels. The post states, “Fuel prices must go down. To achieve this, tax on fuel must go down until further notice. Nobody must go to work, everything must come to a standstill.”
With the social media post going viral, it appears that this is not the only post encouraging the country to come to a grinding halt this coming Friday.
Legal SA recently took to Twitter, posting that South Africans are calling for a nationwide shutdown, following the fuel price increases, a ballooning unemployment rate, and a skyrocketing cost of living.
On top of this, the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) also recently voiced their dismay at the escalating fuel prices. Such was its disdain for the increase in fuel costs, the EFF said its leadership would be convening an urgent meeting to consider an appropriate response to the fuel price hikes.
“The EFF will also, in consultation with other key stakeholders, consider a national shutdown until the price of petrol is reduced,” the political party said.
With the memories of the July 2021 social unrest still fresh in Newcastillians memories the KwaZulu-Natal Provincial SAPS were contacted, to establish what preparations were currently underway in the build-up to the expected national shutdown. However, a comment was not forthcoming at the time of publication.
With global fuel prices impacting not only South Africa, how do you feel Government can reduce the pressure?
Share your views in the comment section below.
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History shows that over taxation creates WARS!
with all our Gold and diamonds who really benefits from these proceds… We are rich in Clea coal, why do we pay more for petrol than those who buy from us.. so many ministers and noone can rule comon sense..
SERIOUSLY WTF DO WE PAY THESE POLITICIANS FOR?!!? TO INCREASE POVERTY!!!
increase salaries
yes we need to have a national shutdown this friday cause cost of living is very high but i salary is not going up
why is that some of us cant afford to buy food with these prices we have to strike
strike on friday we have too lives are being changed we cant make it to buy food rent is so high water so high petrol so high we need a salary increase so cost of living it high
I totally support this protest action. We all need to stand together against this Draconian government.
What a silly idea. The economy is doing badly. So lets damage the economy more. Where does that make sense?
One guy with a facebook post should not be able to make everybody this insane.
This is the same thinking that led to the riots last year. What exactly did that accomplish. Do people not learn from the past? Idiotic thinking
I totally agree with a shutdown. Cost of living is too much, salaries does not increase its insane.
yes south africa…..
we need to strike start from the 9 of june 2022