The chairperson of the South African Trade and Allied Workers’ Union (Satawu) in the Western Cape has apologised for the violent rampage through Cape Town by striking guards on Tuesday. Jerome Fortune said Satawu members would probably lay charges of assault against police.
Fortune was speaking at the Cape Town Magistrate’s court on Wednesday morning as he waited for the appearance of his regional secretary Evan Abrahamse and a number of other unionists arrested during Tuesday’s violence.
”We as Satawu would like to apologise to the community of the Western Cape for all the violence that took place yesterday [Tuesday].
”As Satawu we don’t condone any of this violence that took place and we will be dealing with it on a one-on-one basis with the people who were involved,” he said.
Satawu would get ”feedback” from the people who were arrested. It would also look at the arson incident that led to the cancellation of trains in the Cape Flats on Wednesday morning.
He said he was ”sure” that charges would be laid against the police ”because some of the guys were assaulted”.
”They did not throw stones or anything — they were shot from behind.”
Meanwhile, the city is considering laying criminal charges against the union, the government news agency BuaNews reported on Wednesday.
The agency quoted Cape Town mayoral spokesperson Robert McDonald as saying the city respected the guards’ right to embark on a strike for better wages ”but we condemn the violent behaviour shown by Satawu members during their strike”.
The city was in the process of instituting criminal as well as civil proceedings against Satawu, he said.
A journalist working for the domestic news agency Sapa was injured after an attack by the striking guards. Several cars, some belonging to members of Parliament were damaged and shop windows were broken.
Police had to use rubber bullets to disperse the demonstrators, arresting scores of strikers in the process.
Meanwhile the South African National Security Employers Association said talks aimed at resolving the strike would resume on Friday.
The Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration has reportedly drafted a deal it hopes will be acceptable to both parties.
The latest round of talks were adjourned on Tuesday after the parties could not reach an agreement.
Fortune said Satawu would be taking part in Cosatu’s job losses march through the city on Thursday.
Asked what guarantees he could give that there would not be a repeat of Tuesday’s violence, he said ”guarantees can never be given where marches and strikes are concerned. We can’t guarantee anything for now. But , from our side, we will be having a watchful eye. Luckily we will have many more marshals”.
He said he thought Thursday’s march should be allowed to go ahead because its focus would be on job losses rather than Satawu’s pay dispute. – Sapa