Numsa to protest until Reserve Bank accepts memo

Angry National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa) members on Wednesday vowed to not leave their post outside the SA Reserve Bank (SARB) in Pretoria until their memorandum was accepted.

“We are not going to leave until the bank takes the memo,” spokesperson Alex Mashilo told protesters gathered in front of the bank.

Numsa members had earlier marched to the SARB to protest against high interest rates.

Mashilo said high interest rates had resulted in the metal industry losing about 30 000 jobs.

After hours of waiting outside the SARB, the protesters broke down a police barrier and threatened to storm into the bank.

Police and marshals were quick to restore order.

“Hare batle sepe, rebatla Tito fela,” the crowd shouted in seSotho, meaning “we don’t want anyone else we want Tito,” referring to SARB Governor Tito Mboweni.

Mashilo said the SARB had taken part in preparatory meetings for the march.

“The bank chief security officer was nominated by the bank to sit in those meetings. The last meeting was this Monday.”

He said they were also trying to communicate with Mboweni through the Congress of SA Trade Unions.

“We have informed secretary general Zwelinzima Vavi about the situation and he’s trying to locate Mboweni.”

Police armed with pump guns formed a barrier between the protesters and the bank.

SARB spokesperson Samantha Henkeman said the bank had not sent anyone to collect the memorandum.

“And we’re not going to be sending anyone down,” she said, adding that the situation outside the SARB was calm.—Sapa