Striking and non-striking security guards exchange shots

A gunfight erupted between a rampaging mob of striking security guards and on-duty guards at business premises in Airport Industria in Cape Town early on Tuesday morning. At 6am a group of about 50 striking guards gathered at the corner of Mobile and Borcherds Quarry roads in Airport Industria. Police spokesperson Superintendent Billy Jones says that the strikers had marched to the entrance gates of the Wasteman company, where they confronted security guards who had reported for duty. A heated argument developed between a striking worker and a security guard on duty. Jones said only one shot had been reported, but sources on the scene said there had been an exchange of gunfire between the two groups.

Meanwhile, Labour Minister Membathisi Mdladlana has expressed concern at what he termed the “arrogance displayed by security industry employers”. The Minister was commenting on the continued stalemate between Satawu and the employer body over the 11 percent wage demand by security guards. Minister Mdladlana says in a statement the employers should realize that their agreement with 14 unions is not worth the paper it is written on and is not implementable as there is no Sectoral Determination. Mdladlana says he assumes that because the employer body’s profits are not affected by this strike that they do not care about the harm caused to ordinary South Africans.

Democratic Alliance spokesperson for Safety and Security, Roy Jankielsohn, says while workers in the security industry have the right to embark on strike action, they should expect no sympathy from the public and the police when they resort to criminal and violent acts. This comes after striking security guards caused chaos in Cape Town on Monday when they marched from the Good Hope Centre to the railway station in Strand Street. The guards had just attended a Workers Day gathering in the Good Hope Centre where they also went on the rampage. The Democratic Alliance fully endorsed the call from Safety and Security Minister Charles Nqakula for the SAPS to spare no effort in maintaining law and order.