Police fired rubber bullets to disperse a group of striking security guards who were burning rubbish bins in the Johannesburg city centre on Monday.
Spokesperson Superintendent Lungelo Dlamini said the group, who were on their way to Johannesburg Park station after attending a picket at Beyers Naude Square, started burning dirt bins on the corner of Bree and Rissik Streets.
”Our officers on the scene fired rubber bullets to disperse the crowd … no one was injured during the incident,” Dlamini said.
However, the South African Transport and Allied Workers’ Union (Satawu) said a bystander was critically wounded when police fired at their members.
Satawu said police accused a group of striking security guards of setting cardboard alight and then shot at them.
The trade union condemned the shooting and said it was ”the sort of trigger-happiness that has led to chaos in past marches”.
Police had no record of people who were hurt during the incident. ”We urge anyone who was wounded to come forward,” Dlamini said.
The marchers were earlier addressed by Congress of South African Trade Unions president Willie Madisha.
Satawu have been on strike since March 23, demanding an 11% wage increase from employers.
Fourteen other unions have already signed an 8% wage-increase agreement but Satawu has yet to sign.
The Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration said it was trying to set up a meeting with all parties on Tuesday to resolve the matter. — Sapa