The planned march by the Land Party tomorrow (Friday)
is set to continue, despite Overstrand Municipality not granting permission for
the march.
The Land Party announced early this week that it plans
a “peaceful march” on Friday 27 September, the same day as the start of the
Whale Festival. “The
Land Party calls for immediate intervention with an investigation into the
racist culture of policing and judicial and governmental administration in the
Overstrand. It calls for every citizen to take stock of themselves and their
attitudes, to stand up against racism so that we can move forward and stop
living in the past,” reads a statement by Land
Party, leader Gcobani Ndzongana.
On Wednesday 25 September, the Overstrand Municipality met with the Hermanus
Police and in a statement today (Thursday), announced that the application for
a “peaceful march” was denied.
Ndzongana, however, told Hermanus Times that the protest will continue. “The Overstrand
Municipality does not have the authority to approve or deny the protest,”
says Ndzongana. He adds that he will not be present at the protest, but that members
of the Land Party will lead the march. He says that all he wants is for the
police to be present for safety of the people taking part in the march and to
those at the festival.
Ndzongana says the march will start at the Zwelihle
Sports Grounds at 10:00 where protesters will make their way through the town
and end in the Old Harbour at the Hermanus Wall Memorial where a speech will be
delivered.
The full statement by the Overstrand Municipality reads:
MEDIA STATEMENT BY THE OVERSTRAND MUNICIPALITY REGARDING THE PLANNED GATHERING TO AND AT THE WHALE FESTIVAL
The proposed gathering to and at the Whale Festival on Friday 27 September 2019, requested by the Land Party and aimed at creating awareness of racism, was not approved by the Overstrand Municipality.
According to the application, 500 participants are expected to attend the gathering with 50 marshals appointed to assist to control crowd.
The above mentioned matter was discussed at the tri-angular consultative meeting held at the South African Police Services in Hermanus on Wednesday, 25 September 2019.
In terms of section 5(2), together with sections 4(4)(b) and 5(1) of the Regulation of Gatherings, Act 205 of 1993 (the Act) the reasons for prohibiting the gathering are as follows:
• That the proposed gathering will result in serious disruption of vehicular and/or pedestrian traffic
• The risks of injuries to participants in the gathering or other persons
• Extensive damage to property is posed, as conflict is a high risk when issues such as racism is the topic
• The South African Police Services and the Traffic Officers in question will not be able to contain the proposed gathering/march as they do not have sufficient resources due to several events scheduled in the Greater Hermanus.
The organisers were informed that they may apply to an appropriate magistrate to have the prohibition set aside. Alternatively, to set another date for said planned gathering to create awareness of racism.
– Issued on 26.09.2019
