Striking municipal workers will regroup at the Methodist cathedral in the Johannesburg city centre on Friday morning to continue protest action against their salary increase for the year.
The deputy chairperson of the South African Municipal Workers’ Union’s (Samwu) Johannesburg branch, Moatlhodi Mongale, told the workers who had gathered at Gandhi Square to go home and regroup on Friday.
Earlier, the police fired tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse hundreds of the workers who had gone on the rampage.
Police action came as the strikers advanced on the Johannesburg Civic Centre in a march authorities said was illegal. Many of the workers were carrying sticks and knobkieries.
As tear-gas canisters and rubber bullets pumped through the air, protesters fled down Rissik Street into the central business district, hotly pursued by uniformed police.
The drama follows a deadlock in wage negotiations between the South African Local Government Association (Salga) and two staff bodies — Samwu and the Independent Municipal and Allied Trade Union (Imatu).
The unions are demanding a wage increase of the greater of 9% or R400, and a new monthly minimum wage of R3 000. Salga is offering 6%.
A South African Press Association (Sapa) reporter saw some strikers run into office blocks where they were cornered by police.
At least 50 workers were arrested on Thursday for contravening the Gatherings Act.
Those arrested included the Samwu Johannesburg branch chairperson, Essawu Mbele; secretary general Dumisani Langa; and the Johannesburg branch treasurer, Paulina Sekaledi.
Samwu provincial organiser Sonnyboy Simelane was also arrested.
Some elderly strikers nabbed by police officers were lectured and then told to go home.
Strikers then regrouped at Gandhi Square in the city centre, where they were again dispersed by police firing tear gas and stun grenades.
A Sapa reporter on the scene said she saw no one injured. A woman who appeared to be trying to hide from police was grabbed and dragged struggling to a waiting police van.
Samwu — whose leadership was attempting to contact officials for a meeting to plan the way forward — condemned the police action.
Also on Thursday, metro police assisted police in arresting several strikers at Beyers Naude Square for damaging property. During one confrontation with strikers, a metro officer had his sidearm stolen, metro police confirmed.
Earlier, strikers started emptying rubbish bags on to the streets.
Other arrests
More than 700 striking municipal workers were arrested during protests in Vereeniging, Rustenburg and Vryburg, union leaders said on Thursday.
Samwu contended this shows that strong police action against workers in Johannesburg in the morning was not an isolated incident.
”We have reports of workers being arrested in Rustenburg (300), Vereeniging (400) and Vryburg (six),” said Samwu deputy general secretary Andile Sihlahla in a statement.
”Our national office-bearers are currently meeting to assess the situation and decide on a way forward.” — Sapa