The city of Cape Town is to institute claims against the South African Transport and Allied Workers’ Union (Satawu) for damage caused during the union’s protest march last month, a spokesperson said on Wednesday.
Pieter Cronje from the city of Cape Town said 248 people had reported personal injuries and damage to their property totalling R1,15-million from the public violence during Satawu’s May 16 march.
Details of the damage have been captured on a database. The database contains details of vehicle damage, injury, and loss of personal belongings, stock losses by street vendors, damage to property — which includes broken church windows — and street signs. Vehicle damage makes up the biggest amount of the total damages.
”Footage of the violence and damage captured on the city’s closed circuit television cameras in the central city area have been handed to the attorneys as well as the police. The database of damage and injury has also been handed to the attorneys,” Cronje said in a statement.
The claims against the union will be a first in terms of the Gatherings Act. The Act provides for a three year period to institute claims. A firm of attorneys working for the city will pursue a test case on a pro bono (free of charge) basis on behalf of a selected claimant or claimants.
Should this claim produce a court ruling in favour of the claimants, it would set a precedent to pave the way for legal action by other claimants. – Sapa