With the country sick and tired of being the victim of Eskom‘s corruption, resulting in the power grid on the verge of collapse, the calls for a national shutdown are booming.
The hashtag #NationalShutdown has grown exponentially on Twitter, with 9 February 2023, set as the day when South Africans will apparently unite as one to show their disdain against the growing electricity tariffs and loadshedding.
According to the post that allegedly triggered the trending hashtag, each town must have its own coordinators, and Premiers from each province would be advised to accept memorandums or face the possibility of removal.
In light thereof, Gayton McKenzie, President of the Patriotic Alliance, has shown his support for the national shutdown.
Taking to social media, McKenzie said, “The success of the #NationalShutdown would be dependent on it being depoliticised. You are first a citizen before you are a member of a political party and loadshedding affects all citizens even those amongst us who are off grid. Let’s protest together as South Africans.”
On top of this, the Democratic Alliance (DA) leader, John Steenhuisen has also announced that the DA is organising a major protest march to the ANC headquarters at Luthuli House in Johannesburg on 25 January 2023 concerning the electricity crisis.
With growing calls for a national shutdown, police spokesperson, Brigadier Athlenda Mathe said that the National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure (NATJOINTS) had noted various social media posts and messages on the planned shutdown.
“We are closely monitoring the situation. The National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure remains on high alert to respond to any calls of a national shutdown,” explained Brigadier Mathe.
Additionally, she emphasised that plans are in place to prevent and combat lawlessness.
With a mass shutdown brewing, what are your thoughts?
Share your views in the comment section below.
The only way to get Eskom to react is to close the tap. As long as there is money to pinch the staus quo will remain. I would love to see a national refusal to pay for electricity. That should create enoug heat for the political will to make a differance to grow and is effective as seen in the Outa/ e-toll saga.
#closethetap