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Strikers smash cars, hurt journo
16/05/2006 12:27 - (SA)
Cape Town - Thousands of striking security guards smashed car and shop windows in central Cape Town on Tuesday morning while marching along Plein Street to present a memorandum to parliament.
Protesters were seen smashing shop windows and looting, as others kicked parked cars and used road signs to shatter car windows.
About 5 000 protesters marched, many of them armed with steel pipes and wooden sticks.
Journalist attacked
Some were seen making threatening gestures at bystanders. One was seen dragging his finger across his throat, pointing at security staff on duty at one of the entrances to parliament.
A Sapa journalist was attacked as he was covering the march. Reporter Wendell Roelf was hit on the head with a sjambok, suffered a deep gash to one leg, and had a rock thrown at his head. He was taken to hospital.
Shots fired
Earlier, police with shotguns fired at least six shots at the guards as they overturned food and vegetable stalls soon after the start of the march.
The strikers were a breakaway group from the main body of marchers from the SA Allied and Transport Workers Union.
The incident occurred outside the Grand Central shopping complex.
Many shops in the CBD shut their doors, and hawkers packed up their stalls, in anticipation of the march.
Police, helicopters on the scene
Glass and rubbish lay shattered along Plein Street after the protesters had passed through. Police were keeping a close eye on the procession, which amassed outside the main gate to parliament.
A helicopter was hovering above the scene shortly after noon as police started arriving at the looted shops to inspect damage.
Month-long protest
Previous Satawu marches in Cape Town and other cities have been marred by violence by the striking guards, who are pressing for a better pay deal.
Earlier on Tuesday, Satawu said the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) had called on the guards to halt their month-long protest.
The CCMA made the proposal at Monday night's talks, which are aimed at solving the matter, Satawu spokesperson Ronnie Mamba said in a statement.
He said the CCMA further proposed that the parties monitor the return to work of all workers and confirm normality by close of business on Thursday.
- SAPA
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