ANC on Cosas rampage: 'There's nothing revolutionary about looting'
9 April 2019
The ANC on Tuesday condemned "in the strongest possible terms" the looting of businesses in the Johannesburg CBD and Hillbrow following a Congress of South African Students (Cosas) protest march.
News24 reported that alleged members of Cosas, who marched to Luthuli House on Monday afternoon, interrupted an ANC top six meeting and then went on a looting rampage in the Johannesburg CBD and Hillbrow.
Police spokesperson Captain Mavela Masondo confirmed the plundering to News24 on Tuesday.
"We have opened several cases of public violence," Masondo said. He was aware of at least one shopkeeper that was injured.
"The ANC is concerned that these acts of lawlessness detract from the noble objectives of the march and the legitimacy of students', demands," the governing party's acting spokesperson Dakota Legoete said in a statement on Tuesday.
"We are deeply disappointed that some of the marchers deviated from the commitment given by the Cosas leadership to conduct the march in a peaceful and disciplined manner.
"We urge Cosas to assist law-enforcement agencies to identify the culprits and to ensure that they are brought to book. There is nothing noble or revolutionary about looting and damaging public or private property," Legoete said.
News24 reported on Monday that traffic in the area ground to a halt as learners camped outside the ANC headquarters.
Johannesburg metro police estimated earlier that around 3 000 pupils took part in the march.
Cosas demanded that the government address several issues, including a school infrastructure backlog, proper sanitation, the need for sanitary towels, a call for an inquiry into the high cost of data, proper action against teachers found guilty of sexual harassment, and the failure of schools to account for financial audit irregularities.
