ANCYL broke march conditions - De Lille

2012-08-27 15:58

Cape Town - The ANC Youth League failed to adhere to conditions for its march to the provincial legislature, Cape Town Mayor Patricia de Lille said on Monday.

She said the league violated two of the conditions stipulated in terms of the Gatherings Act and the approved march application.

The city approved the ANCYL’s application to march to the legislature to deliver a memorandum to the office of the premier.

De Lille said: "Informed by the need to ensure public safety and a safe route for the march, the stipulations set by the SA Police Service and the City of Cape Town, were that the participants should assemble at Keizersgracht from 10:00 onwards on Monday morning."

The march was to have begun no later than 11:00 from Keizersgracht along Darling Street, left into Adderley Street, and then to the provincial buildings in Wale Street.

However, part of the group gathered at the wrong location - at the Salt River Station - instead of Keizersgracht.

Another group from Keizersgracht joined the protesters at Salt River Station just after noon.

The police consolidated them into one group before the march proceeded.

De Lille said the procession did not adhere to the time-frames stipulated in the application, and the march began late.

"I view the ANCYL’s flagrant disregard of the stipulations set out in the march approval in terms of the Gatherings Act as a grave disappointment," she said in a statement.

"The city respects the rights of residents to demonstrate, but appeals to all those who wish to participate to please do so within the boundaries of the law to ensure the safety of all residents."

- SAPA