A survey conducted by the Cape Chamber of Commerce and Industry has found that 62 percent of Cape Town’s businesses are in favour of shutting for the day.
Others apologised, saying they are not able to close as they had obligations to customers.
The protests have been called by civil society groupings and NGOs following Zuma’s latest Cabinet reshuffle, which included the firing of Pravin Gordhan as finance minister and his deputy Mcebisi Jonas.
This prompted Standard & Poor’s to downgrade South Africa’s debt to junk status.
Cape Chamber of Commerce chairperson Janine Myburgh tells the Cape Times: “Nearly 62 percent of Cape businesses are in favour of closing down on Friday in protest against the sacking of the former finance minister.
“The comments of our members make it clear that the number would have been even higher but for the many public holidays in April.
“There are a lot of positive things going for this country and we now need a clear path to recovery. Strengthening the rand would be a start.”
She said their members were tired of poor governance.
“Others relished the opportunity to make a stand, with one businessman saying he was giving his staff a day of paid leave and he would buy them all KFC and Coke and they would march together,” she says.