Striking security guards turn violent in CBD

By Nadia Samie

Chaos has erupted in the Cape Town CBD as a march by striking security guards has taken a turn for the worse. Businesses in the CBD have been forced to close their doors.

Eyewitnesses say that police have thrown stun grenades into the throng of marchers in an attempt to disperse the crowd. The strikers allegedly tried to set two cars alight.



Sandra Hartogh, who works in Commercial Street in the CBD, says that their store had to close its doors, as gunshots were fired. Hartogh says she and her co-workers watched in horror from the rooftop of their building as strikers ran riot through the streets, vandalising property as they passed through.

A Sapa journalist is reported to have been stabbed in the chaos. Police are currently trying to move the marchers towards the Cape Town train station.

The strikers were marching from Kaizergracht to hand over a memorandum to Parliament when the chaos erupted.