Post office strike becomes violent
ROSEBANK - Two post office minibus vans burst into flames outside the Parkview Post Office and another was set alight in Rosebank on 2 September.
This was according to Johannesburg’s Emergency Services spokesperson, Robert Mulaudzi who said, “We are aware that there is a protest taking place at the post office.”
Mulaudzi confirmed it was not long after Emergency Services were dispatched to the Randburg Post Office, that they were called to Rosebank for a minibus that was in flames in front of the post office and soon after, another two minibuses and carport had also caught alight in front of the Parkview Post Office.
Although there were no details as yet on how the vehicles caught fire, it is suspected that the incidents were linked to the recent dismissal of 473 casual workers who were on strike for three weeks.
In Randburg, officials from the security company CSS Tactical head office which is based across the road from the Randburg Post Office, said a delivery man was also assaulted by striking post office workers and his delivery van was damaged by the strikers throwing stones at his vehicle.
Upon witnessing the attack, members of CSS Tactical intervened by rescuing the delivery man and rushed into the post office building that had been set alight, and helped extinguish the flames.
According to a statement released by the South African Post Office on 29 August, 473 employees were dismissed after what the post office said was a campaign of violence and intimidation.
The post office general CEO, Christopher Hlekane, said the dismissals followed “negotiations, ultimatums and a labour court interdict”.
The South African Post Office has advised customers in the affected areas to expect delays in the delivery of mail and parcels until operations were back to full capacity, and also until it had managed to clear the backlog caused by the strike.
