GALLERY and VIDEO: Peaceful cleanup turns violent in Braamfontein
BRAAMFONTEIN – What seemed to be a cleanup by church members, turned violent during the Pikitup strike.
A peaceful street cleanup by members of the Revelation of God Church turned violent within a couple of minutes on the morning of 26 November. The group of cleaners were seen running up streets in Braamfontein with the Metro Police guiding them to safety.
The morning started with peace and quiet, and an atmosphere of peace and goodwill as the cleaners did a good deed for the community. Then gunshots were heard from afar. A large group of Pikitup workers and the South African Municipal Workers Union (Samwu) members came running down the street, dressed in red, carrying pangas, sticks and rocks, and singing protest songs. They broke the trash cans and littered the streets. They threw rocks and challenged the police as they stood to sing their protest songs.
A large group of armed Metro Police officers were on scene, blocking the streets and urging people to get off of the street. The large group of protesters came to a standstill to sing and get their point across. An armored Metro Police truck came riding up the street when the protest became very violent. Rubber bullets were fired from all angles, tear gas was thrown and the truck sprayed water to try and stop the strike. Some of the protesters were in buildings throwing rocks at the Police through windows several stories high.
After the group of protesters fled, the situation seemed to calm down. The Pikitup workers were meant to be back at their jobs by 8am this morning or they could face being fired, as the strike was illegal.
City of Joburg Mayor Parks Tau and other City officials helped clean the streets, but left before the violence erupted.
Earlier in the week, Nine people were injured in the afternoon of 24 November when the Pikitup protest action turned violent in Bertha Street No work no pay for Pikitup, as strike turns violent.
Pikitup spokesperson Jacky Mashapu said the company will institute the principle of ‘no work no pay’ and will also lock out employees participating in the illegal work stoppage.“We are working tirelessly to ensure that services are restored as soon as possible. Management remains open to address concerns of employees and organised labour, but for that to happen, workers must first go back to work, and are encouraged to make use of the established process for engagement,” he explained.
Pikitup further indicated that residents are urged to keep bins inside their property until such time as alternative operational arrangements were communicated by the company.“Pikitup apologises for any inconveniences which may be caused as a result of the service delivery interruptions and will provide regular updates on the situation and wishes to inform all residents and business owners serviced by the company, that we are experiencing service delivery interruptions,” he concluded.
