87 arrested in South Africa amid opposition protest against government's policies

(MENAFN) South African police have recently announced that they have arrested 87 individuals across the country for their involvement in offenses linked to a protest organized by the opposition party. The protest, which was called for by the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), saw the party calling for a national shut down in order to voice their concerns regarding the state of affairs in the country. The EFF has been protesting against a number of issues, including corruption, unemployment, and the frequent power cuts that have become a norm in the country.

Police Minister Bheki Cele, while speaking to reporters in Johannesburg, disclosed that the arrests had been made in the Gauteng province, which comprises the capital city Pretoria and the largest city Johannesburg. Additional arrests had also been made in other provinces, including the North West, Free State, Mpumalanga, and the Eastern Cape.

The EFF, which is the third-largest opposition party in the country, had requested non-essential workers to not report to work on the day of the protest. The party had also threatened to bring the country to a standstill by halting the operation of commuter taxis and other passenger service vehicles.

Julius Malema, the head of the EFF, has been leading the protest and demanding the resignation of President Cyril Ramaphosa, citing his alleged failure to run the country properly. In a video message over the weekend, Malema had emphasized the need to shut down the country on the 20th of March in order to show the world that the citizens of South Africa are concerned about the state of affairs and cannot remain idle.

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