The situation at the National Union of Mineworkers’ (NUM) Rustenburg offices was calm by shortly after noon on Saturday after police intervention, the union said.
About 100 NUM members locked the offices and removed a union official’s car from the offices on Friday night.
The incident followed a protest against the NUM’s recent decision to disqualify the former deputy general secretary, Archie Palane, from contesting to become general secretary. Palane quit after the decision.
Protesters were demanding that Palane be reinstated in his post.
NUM general secretary Frans Baleni said police were brought in to bring the situation to order, and the ”perpetrators” fled. ”Our resources there are intact, except for one car they took last night, but police are following that up,” said Baleni.
Baleni said the union will take action against those who vandalised and took its property illegally.
”Police are on the trail of those who took the car from our premises, and they will be charged when found,” said Baleni.
He said people at the core of ”this barbaric act” bear personal grudges against the union in that region.
”This is an act of individuals who were expelled from the union following acts of misconduct and criminal charges against them, and they are now confusing our members.”
The union’s regional leadership and some members had been at the offices since Friday night, monitoring and trying to protect their property. — Sapa