CARL Niehaus and a group of Mkhonto Wesizwe Military Veterans Association members clashed with the cops in Cape Town on Tuesday, 13 December.
Niehaus and his crew had placards calling for President Cyril Ramaphosa to go.
They were holding their placards near the City Hall, the venue where Parliament sittings are taking place since the National Assembly chamber burnt down.
Cops ordered them to move to an open space near Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT), but they refused to move.
Cops started pushing Niehaus and a dozen of military veterans along Hanover Road.
They tried to resist on several occasions, but they were outnumbered.
Some of the veterans fell to the ground as a group of cops pushed them with shields.
At one point, Niehaus told the cops he was “not moving beyond this point”, but the cops pushed him even further.
After the cops stopped pushing the group towards the CPUT campus, Niehaus started telling them that he and the veterans fought for liberation so that they could have jobs.
“You are repressing freedom of speech. You have moved us away from Parliament, where we were expressing our point of view. There is no justice in this country. Inequality before the law. Animal farm. Some animals are more equal than others,” said Niehaus.
He said the cops were taking sides instead of doing their job without fear or favour.
“You are supposed to be the protectors of the people. You are supposed to be the police service. We laid down our lives to bring you to the positions that you have been employed now. You have become part of oppression and repression. It’s a disgrace,” he said.
Niehaus said he will continue with his calls for the removal of Ramaphosa.
He said on Friday, 16 December, he will be outside Nasrec, calling for Ramaphosa to go.
