SOUTH AFRICA’S Communist Party (SACP) denounced the intimidation, threats and violence involved in today’s “forced shutdown attempts” in the country.

This came as protests organised by the ultra-left Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) party demanded the resignation of President Cyril Ramaphosa.

The call by the EFF for a national lockdown was met with a muted response across the country.

Some protest marches did take place in areas such Alexandra and Tembisa townships, east of Johannesburg.

Several roads in the eastern suburb Kempton Park were closed as protesters marched.

“All South Africans should be protesting with us right now because loadshedding [power cuts] is affecting all of us,” said Cedric Cele, who joined the demonstration in Kempton Park.

Ahead of the protests, the SACP said that it condemned attempts by the EFF “to prevent workers who need to go to work to support themselves and their dependants from doing so.”

While supporting the right to protest, the SACP said that it “strongly opposed to proto-fascism, political thuggery, lawlessness and anarchy” involved in the “forced shutdown attempt.”

“This is not the position of the SACP only but also an overwhelming majority of the working-class and peace-loving people at large.”

The EFF is the third-largest political party by number of representatives in the national assembly.