The convener of the protest must fill out a form called “Notice under Regulation of Gatherings Act” and give it to the local authority. The notice form should be available at all municipality offices. You should be able to email, fax or hand it in.

You must give the following info:

  • The name, address, and contact details of the convener and the deputy convener
  • The name of the organisation and the main reason for the protest ¾The time, date, and location of the protest
  • How many people you think will attend
  • How many marshals there will be and how they will be identified (e.g. red arm band)
  • If you will be delivering a memorandum to someone, you must give their name and the location.
  • If it is a march, you must also give information about the route, where and when it will start, and where and when it will end.
  • You must say how people will get to the gathering place, and how they will disperse.
  • You must also say what vehicles will be part of the procession

    • Special permission for protests at parliament, the union building or courts

    The Gatherings Act says there are three places where you DO need to get permission, not just give notice: within 100 metres of Parliament, the Union Buildings or a Court Building. The Act says you must get permission from these authorities:

  • Parliament – Chief Magistrate of Cape Town [021 461 6282]
  • Union Buildings – DG of the Presidency [012 300 5354]
  • Court buildings – magistrate of the district

    • This is a big problem with the Gatherings Act, because it says you must get ‘permission’ from the institution that you are protesting against.