OWN CORRESPONDENT, Johannesburg | Thursday 7.20pm.
SCUFFLES between police and workers at Edgars’ Kempton Park branch on Thursday marked the fourth day of a strike by the clothing group’s workers.
South African Commercial Catering and Allied Workers Union assistant secretary-general Herbert Mkhize accused white policemen of complicity with Edgars management: “White policemen at the branch were literally pulling people through the protest lines telling them to ignore the lunatics.”
“Our understanding is that the police were deployed to ensure no one violated the court order keeping picketers away from the shops — not to actively mobilise people to ignore the picketing.”
The union now wants to discuss the issue with Gauteng safety and security MEC Patrick Mkhize and national Safety and Security Minister Sydney Mufamadi.
On Monday, 45 people were arrested at the Kempton Park branch for ignoring the court order, and on Thursday around 30 people were held in police cells.
Scuffles were also reported at the central Johannesburg branch, and the group’s flagship Sandton City branch was closed on Thursday.
Congress of SA Trade Unions general secretary Mbhazima Shilowa on Thursday said Edgars must meet with workers and find common ground: “It is unacceptable for employers to plead poverty while at the same time placing expensive adverts to advance their arrogant positions … to set pre-conditions for negotiations to take place.”
An Edgars press ad has stated the group’s position and accused workers of intolerance.