Press Statement 7th March 2008 10am

SAMWU calls for immediate release of 137
imprisoned municipal workers

The South African Municipal Workers’ Union demands the immediate release of the 137 Nelson Mandela Bay Metropole strikers who were held in custody overnight, after being shot at.

About 600 workers have gathered once again this morning at Brister House in Port Elizabeth for another day of strike and protest action.

There is no reason why the workers should have been held in prison since their only crime was to take part in a protected strike. SAMWU believes it has grounds for legal action against the Minister of Safety and Security since police opened fire on the workers without any warning and without provocation.

URGENT PRESS STATEMENT

Thursday 31st January 2008
3pm

CAPE TOWN ­ SAMWU is disgusted and appalled that the police opened fire at close range with plastic coated steel bullets, at our members in Cape Town one hour ago.

The march through the City ended at 1:30pm after Helen Zille refused to receive the workers¹ memorandum of demands. The marchers were then walking back to Kaisersgracht, District Six, to take their transport home. Three casspirs and eight vans full of police followed them. As soon as the SAMWU members were reaching a field near Kaisersgracht, and were slightly out of the public eye, police suddenly threw a stun grenade at the march for no reason.