Johannesburg – The South Gauteng High Court has not granted a protection order for the ANC against an alleged threat by the DA who are marching in Johannesburg’s CBD on Wednesday.

The ANC filed the urgent application because it said it had a “duty to protect our headquarters, protect our member, and protect our assets”.

“We are not saying they should not march, but if they pose a threat to our headquarters, what do we do?” ANC spokesperson Jackson Mthembu said earlier on Wednesday morning.

He said this was necessary as the Democratic Alliance had secured the services of a security firm “armed to the teeth” with batons, helmets, and shields.

Mthembu said the ANC was confident of winning the application.

Cameron Arendse, spokesperson for DA leader Helen Zille, said the party would have representatives at the court, and would fight for their democratic right to march.

In a statement on Tuesday, Arendse said the DA had repeatedly said it would hold a peaceful march in downtown Johannesburg for “real jobs”.

“Any security precautions we are taking are defensive, not offensive.

“These precautions are based on a responsible assessment of the risk to our own members and activists,” he said.

“We are all too mindful of the inability of the SA Police Service and the Johannesburg metro police department to protect our members.”

He said the application by the ruling party was a last ditch attempt to stop the march, as the ANC was afraid that the DA would show how the ruling party had failed unemployed South Africans.

– Sapa and News24