Today’s March Called Off – But Rally May Go Ahead

Alert! Following SATAWU’s destructive march through Cape Town’s CBD on Tuesday, today’s COSATU march – which was to have included members of SATAWU – has been called off by the city.

The trade unions have agreed to abide by the ban, but are also planning to stage a rally at an as-yet-undecided place somewhere in the city confines.
If the rally goes ahead, as it most likely will, there’s a slim chance of a repeat of Tuesday’s rampage, although the city has called in more police to handle any trouble.

What this means for city visitors is – keep your eyes and ears open for strike-related trouble. If you hear loud singing – normally one of the most moving aspects of a march to Parliament, and well worth taking in – it might be a prelude to a melee. Watch what the locals are doing, and if there’s a rush to take cover, join them! Or – to avoid any possible trouble altogether – delay your visit to Cape Town’s normally peaceful CBD by one day. Why not visit the V&A Waterfront instead?

• Keep abreast of developments: Cape Talk (streaming) | Cape Argus | Google News