Guards forced to call off march

2006-06-15 15:18

Johannesburg - Striking security guards - members of the SA Transport and Allied Workers Union - were forced to call off their march to Sandton on Thursday.

Their leaders told them to disperse after police fired stun grenades at them in central Johannesburg, injuring guards in the process.

But police spokesperson Mary Martins-Engelbrecht said the march was unlawful and disputed claims of injuries.

Martins-Engelbrecht said: "The security guards had no permission to march and police had to fire stun grenades to prevent them from doing so. No injuries were reported to police."

Earlier on Thursday, a security guard from Springs, Njabulo Zondi, 29, said he was suffering pain after police shot him in the back.

He was among a crowd of Satawu members who had threatened to bring business in Sandton City to a standstill.

Satawu leader Jackson Simon said they were not shocked that police had prevented the planned march from central Johannesburg to Sandton.

"Police reacted in a manner we expected. When we decided to walk to Sandton, capitalists got all their forces to prevent us," he said.

Simon said Satawu regional leaders would discuss a new strategy to continue with the walk.

Earlier on Thursday, the march was delayed because some members were still stuck at railway stations around Johannesburg.

The delay prompted Simon to blame Metrorail for attempting to "sabotage the guards by delaying trains... the only means of transport for the workers."

The strikers were expected to walk from Rissik Street to Parktown and along Oxford Road through Rosebank to Sandton City.

From there, they were supposed to have walked to the Johannesburg Stock Exchange to "ensure that no one counts the shares and enjoys their lunch while the workers are hungry."

A new date for the march has not been set. Satawu leaders said they were still going to discuss the matter.

- SAPA