Limpopo police have heightened security near the Beit Bridge border post ahead of the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) demonstration scheduled for Wednesday.
”Police are monitoring and patrolling the area. Nothing has happened yet but we are on the lookout,” said police spokesperson Superintendent Mohale Ramatseba.
Cosatu expects thousands of marchers to participate in the march in solidarity with Zimbabwean trade unions. The march takes place on the eve of that country’s parliamentary elections.
The Pretoria High Court dismissed an application by police to ban the march on Tuesday, but imposed conditions on the protest.
Ramatseba had said police feared that the demonstration, which is expected to be followed by a night vigil, would disrupt traffic in the area, especially along the busy N1 highway leading to the border.
He said they were also worried about the effect the march would have on the safety of motorists and pedestrians, and on economic activities.
In handing down his ruling, Judge Essop Patel said the demonstration could continue on condition that unionists marched at the sides of the N1, to avoid disrupting traffic.
The judge also said no more than 10 000 people could participate in the march and that they should not come within 200m of the border post.
”People will be coming from all over the country. The march is expected to start at 10.30am and continue until late in the afternoon,” said Cosatu spokesperson Patrick Craven.
The marchers are expected to assemble at the Sand River bridge near the border and will march at the side of the road until 4pm. — Sapa