Johannesburg – Tension erupted outside the Nasrec Expo Centre in Johannesburg on Saturday morning when members of the Umkhonto we Sizwe party and Operation Dudula confronted police as they attempted to move closer to the G20 Leaders Summit. Although the gathering took place across the border, the scenes drew attention in Eswatini as security and civil rights issues around major international events continue to shape regional conversations.
The group arrived early near the summit precinct, insisting they wanted direct engagement with President Cyril Ramaphosa and visiting world leaders. Police officers moved them back to a designated protest zone located roughly a kilometre from the venue, triggering running battles as officers reportedly deployed teargas to contain the crowd.
One of the MK leaders, dressed in party colours, told journalists that the restrictions undermined the purpose of their demonstration. He argued that their right to protest was protected under South Africa’s constitution and that they should have been permitted to picket within at least 100 metres of the venue. He criticised the police for confining them to an area used by motorists heading to Southgate Mall, far from the dignitaries the protesters hoped to address.
The leader said their frustration stemmed from feeling shut out of an event they believed should hear ordinary concerns. He accused authorities of limiting their reach and denying them an opportunity to deliver their message to Ramaphosa and other global figures gathered for the summit.
Operation Dudula members who joined the protest maintained that they were prepared for any consequence, including arrest. One activist declared that they would not back down even if police chose to use force.
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