Striking security guards whose march was aborted in Pretoria earlier in the day arrived in Johannesburg on Wednesday afternoon to continue their strike action for an 11% wage increase.
As they marched from Park station in central Johannesburg to the library gardens, nine guards who allegedly threw stones at the police were shot at with rubber bullets and left with minor injuries.
The striking guards boarded a train back to Johannesburg on Wednesday morning after police refused to allow their march in Pretoria to take place as they had no march permit. Members of the South African Allied Transport and Allied Workers’ Union (Satawu), accompanied by police, boarded the train. Those who were based in Pretoria left the station on foot.
They had planned to march to the departments of labour, and safety and security, in the city. Ekurhuleni police spokesperson Inspector Jimmy Maboko said the group intended to march to the Union Buildings and sleep over there.
National Satawu spokesperson Ronnie Mamba earlier said the national police commissioner had refused the marchers permission to enter the city.
Mamba said Satawu did arrange a march permit, although it was for Johannesburg and not Pretoria.
Traffic in the capital and business at Pretoria station was not affected at all while the strikers were inside during a three-hour stand-off with police earlier in the day.
Police, some dressed in riot gear and armed, prevented the group from leaving the departures area of the station, while ordinary commuters were allowed to come and go as they pleased.
The union is striking for an 11% wage increase while 14 other unions in the security sector have already accepted an 8,3% increase.
Minister of Labour Membathisi Mdladlana earlier urged the union and employers to continue wage talks through the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration. — Sapa