/ 24 June 1999

STRIKING MAPUTO CORRIDOR WORKERS TORCH EQUIPMENT

STRIKING labourers on the R2-billion Maputo Corridor toll road torched a large grader and an excavator during a wage dispute on Tuesday night. No one has been arrested for the attack yet but police say they expect to make arrests soon. The vehicles were not completely gutted but damage has been estimated at R60000. Labourers burnt the vehicles after a four-day illegal strike. Stocks & Stocks, Basil Read Bouygues have refused to increase minimum wages from R4,15 to R5,58 but SBB project manager Luc Messiera said on Wednesday that a compromise was reached late on Tuesday afternoon. He said the agreement did not appear to have been communicated to all strikers because the two vehicles were torched at roughly 4.30pm.