ANC Secretary General Fikile Mbalula has called on South Africans to unite in defending the country’s democracy.

Speaking at the people’s march in Johannesburg on Saturday, Mbalula said the movement marks the start of a broader effort to unite the country.

Led by the ANC and its alliance partners, the march honoured victims of the Sharpeville Massacre while commemorating 30 years of South Africa’s constitution.

Mbalula urged citizens to play an active role in defending the country’s democratic values alongside government.

"This is the beginning of uniting our people in defence of South Africa, our sovereignty and our democracy. The national executive committee of the ANC took a decision that we must not defend South Africa in board rooms, but we must take our people along.”

*This article was first published by EWN