Cops hold urgent meeting
by
2008-06-26 08:45
Johannesburg - The City of Johannesburg on Thursday called on protesting Johannesburg metro police officers to return to duty and not to compromise service delivery while discussions to finding a lasting solution are under way.
An urgent meeting between the SA Municipal Workers Union, the Johannesburg Metro police Department (JMPD) and City management will be held on Thursday morning to find a "speedy and amicable" resolution to the matter, said City manager Mavela Dlamini in a statement.
Protesting metro police officers fired live ammunition at SA Police Service members in Johannesburg on Wednesday.
The protests were triggered by complaints over salaries and nepotism. Strikers said they would not return to work until their grievances had been addressed.
Disrupted traffic
The police had been forced to fire rubber bullets at metro police members who had blockaded the city, causing traffic gridlock, said SA Police Service (SAPS) spokesperson Superintendent Eugene Opperman.
Seven metro police officers - three women and four men - were injured during the police action.
"The police requested the metro police officers on several occasions to disperse from the highway and open it to peak hour traffic.
"The metro officers refused and the police officers were forced to disperse the group using rubber bullets," said Opperman.
The City of Johannesburg strongly condemned the traffic blockage on the freeway and in the city centre by some members of the JMPD.
"(We apologise) for the inconvenience that was caused to all road users," said Dlamini.
He commended the majority of JMPD officers who "remained true to their calling" by assisting in maintaining law and order during the skirmish.
"Without joint action and co-operation of the JMDP and SAPS, traffic would have not been normalised within a reasonable time," he added.
The police opened a case of attempted murder and an illegal gathering, as well as obstructing the normal flow of road traffic.