Police have confirmed the incident, saying eight people were injured when about 60 municipal police, known as "green beans", exchanged gunfire with an SAP unrest unit. The "green beans" had been marching to the house of the Lekoa mayor, Esau Mahlatsi, to present grievances over pay when the shoot-out occurred.
Police have declined to give reasons for the mutiny. However, a vendor who works alongside municipal police headquarters said they had told him they were dissatisfied with their earnings of R128 a month. According to an eyewitness, the mutiny began yesterday morning at 8.30 am when members of the Lekoa municipal police reported for their daily parade and vehicle inspection.
About 100 of them, armed with pistols but dressed in civilian clothes, gathered in a group and refused the command for inspection. A battle with white municipal police ensued when the latter tried to stop the mutineers from taking three of the vehicles, the eyewitness said. Three Casspir-loads of riot police were summoned to assist, and a Casspir was used to block the road to prevent mutineers from leaving.
According to the witness, one of the "green bean" vehicles managed to leave. Riot police then emptied the two other vehicles, using sjamboks and batons, and there were violent clashes between the two groups. Teargas was fired. Part of the group then began to march to the mayor's house, but was confronted by the riot squad. There was an exchange of fire.
According to the police division of public relations, the incident began after an order by the commanding officer to hold a vehicle inspection. About 60 municipal policemen had then arrived at their base in their vehicles and allegedly tried to run down the commanding officer. The municipal police raced away when riot police arrived but were confronted between the municipal offices and the Sebokeng hospital. – The mutineers opened fire at the unrest unit according to the SAP statement, and they returned fire.- Thami Mkhwanazi and Vusi Gunene.
This article originally appeared in the Weekly Mail.
