South African Police Clash with Demonstrating Municipal Workers

South African police on Friday used rubber bullets and pepper spray to control hundreds of agitated municipal workers who threw bottles and destroyed council property during a march to Cape Town’s Civic Center.

The South African Municipal Workers’ Union (Samwu) said at least 12 of its members were injured and taken to hospital for treatment. Two Samwu members, including senior union leader Leon Johannes, were arrested.

Almost 1, 000 Samwu members turned over rubbish bins as they marched through the city center to hand over a memorandum of grievances to Mayor Helen Zille. The Cape Town city authorities however say that Samwu will pick up the bill for cleaning up of the mess its members caused and pay for any damage caused.

The march was part of Samwu’s indefinite strike action against Cape Town city authorities’ staff placement and restructuring process, which Samwu says is unilateral and illegal.

The Cape Town authorities in turn accused members of Samwu of intimidation following the march to the council offices.

“Today’s march of approximately 900 Samwu members was held in an abusive fashion, with missiles being thrown, intimidation of council staff and the streets being strewn with rubbish,” Mike Marsden, the city’s Executive Director for Service Delivery Integration, said in a statement.

On the other hand, the union had threatened to take legal action against the police, claiming that the shot at its members. “Samwu is disgusted and appalled that the police opened fire at close range with plastic coated steel bullets on our members in Cape Town one hour ago,” the union said in a statement.

Close to 1000 Samwu members marched to the council offices to protest against what they said was the city’s dictatorial approach to labor issues.

Cape Town Mayor, Helen Zille, was not available to receive their memorandum. The union said the marchers had dispersed and were on their way home when police opened fire on them

Source African Press Agency

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