March sounds wake-up call for SA
Scores of fed-up citizens marched to Parliament on Saturday calling for early elections to remove the ANC as governing party and action to save the country from load shedding, corruption and the rising cost of living.
About 150 people from across the metro took part in the “ANC Fools March” on April Fool’s Day, walking from Hanover Street, Zonnebloem.
The march was organised by Rise and Shine South Africa, which claims to be a civic group of members from across the political spectrum.
In February, the group marched to Parliament to hand over a memorandum demanding action over load shedding and to reject the electricity tariff increase.
Diana Dalby, who founded Rise and Shine South Africa in January, said Parliament, politicians and state-owned enterprises such as Eskom had to be held accountable.
Ordinary citizens were feeling the pinch with the increase in the cost of living while little to nothing was being done to offer any relief, she said.
“Parliament is supposed to represent the citizens’ best interests and hold the government to account, but instead they now answer to the MPs and neglect their mandate to the citizens.”
Ms Dalby said she did not understand citizens' reluctance to participate in marches while being content to complain on social media.
“If we come out in our numbers as citizens, united, this gives us a voice that could make an impact in our country.”
Various political leaders, including Jack Miller from the Cape Independent Party (CIP), Pieter Marais from the Freedom Front Plus, Des Palm from CapeXit and Neil de Beer from the United Independent Movement, took part in the march.
At Parliament, a memorandum was received by Trish da Silva on behalf of Eskom, Gcina Matakane on behalf of Parliament and Willie Viljoen on behalf of the SA Revenue Service.
Mr Miller said one needed to be a big or mainstream party to make your voice heard, but it was the smaller voices, which kept pushing and holding people to account, that made a difference.
“We started CIP in 2007 with a vision of making the Cape a better place, and to be surrounded by people who share the same vision helps us to keep going. I’ve had the honour of walking alongside people who do wear different political hats to me, and it has been an honour,” he said.
Rise and Shine South Africa deputy convener Lambert Badenhorst called on supporters not to become despondent and said the march reflected the will of the people.
“I hope that this group will grow throughout the country because it is the will of the people that must always be paramount,” he said.
Mr Marais said the country was on the brink of collapse with people in charge who had no idea of how to run a country.
“This is why our people are fed up. We are being instructed by people who do not know what the problems are, and we deserve better. The country is being driven to the ground, our economy is dead and our infrastructure has been ruined from Eskom to our airline, to the state of schools and our water supply,” he said.
Carla Lind, from Milnerton, said she had first heard of Rise and Shine SA through her complex’s WhatsApp group and after looking them up, she had decided to be part of the first march earlier this year against load shedding.
“We are often quick to complain but don’t take it any further. I decided to join the march to show my displeasure at what is happening in our country. We may be a small group, but we are making our voices heard,” she said.
