Nine show up for 'mass' picket
04/07/2003 14:32  - (SA)  

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Pretoria - Nine people showed up for an anti-American "mass picket" organised by the Congress of South African Trade Unions in Pretoria on Friday.

The group stood on the lawn of the United States embassy, toyi-toying and chanting slogans - outnumbered by members of the media and the police.

They carried placards reading "Bush leave our gold and platinum alone" and "Cowboy Bush leave Cuba alone".

Cosatu northern region secretary Jan Tsiane said the protest was held to express unhappiness with US foreign policy.

In a statement issued by Cosatu earlier this week, the union federation invited the media to attend a "mass picket" planned for between noon and 15:00 on Friday.

By 13:40 all nine demonstrators had left.

At a news conference earlier in the day, Foreign Affairs Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma was asked how the South African government regarded the protests with regard to US President George W Bush's visit next week.

She replied: "Both the US and South Africa say they are committed to free association, freedom of speech, human rights and democracy."

Demonstrations were part of the milieu of democracy, as long as they were peaceful and legal, the minister said.

"The people of this country have that right - they fought for it and they should enjoy it."

- SAPA

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