SOUTH AFRICA: President Jacob Zuma calls for violent protesters to be arrested, as the municipal workers strike enters its third day

Record ID: 339198

  • Title: SOUTH AFRICA: President Jacob Zuma calls for violent protesters to be arrested, as the municipal workers strike enters its third day
  • Date: 30th July 2009
  • Summary: PRETORIA, SOUTH AFRICA (JULY 29, 2009) (REUTERS) SOUTH AFRICAN PRESIDENT JACOB ZUMA ADDRESSING MEMBERS OF THE MEDIA PROVINCIAL POLICE COMMISSIONERS SEATED (SOUNDBITE) (English/Zulu) SOUTH AFRICAN PRESIDENT JACOB ZUMA SAYING: "The protesters trashing the roads, and I was wondering because I am not a lawyer, whether that was legal or illegal, and I have since been told t
  • Embargoed: 14th August 2009 13:00
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  • Location: South Africa
  • Country: South Africa
  • Topics: Domestic Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA4LLVH052UKO3KS01KSLZU3YYF
  • Story Text: South African President Jacob Zuma said on Wednesday (July 29) that police would crack down on unrest as a wage strike by public transport workers, refuse collectors and licensing officers entered its third day.
    The strike follows days of violent protests by residents of impoverished townships who have complained about lack of healthcare, water and electricity.
    "The protesters trashing the roads, and I was wondering because I am not a lawyer, whether that was legal or illegal, and I have since been told that there is a law that says if you do that, you are breaking the law, if I use the 'Umkhubane English' (legal language), and I think it is important that those people should be arrested for interfering with the rights of innocent citizens who are walking around, and I have been told, I have checked that there is a law, and the law should apply, and I am happy that all the commissioners are here, 'Ababoshwe, abatshwarwe (let them be arrested) because they are interfering with the rights of other people, whilst they have the right to protest, but they interfere with the rights of other citizens. I don't think we have rights to interfere with the rights of other people, so violence and trashing, is not allowed," Zuma told reporters in Pretoria.
    SAPA news agency quoted a police official as saying police fired rubber bullets at nurses and patients at a clinic in eastern South Africa in a fresh outbreak of protests.
    Thousands of South African council workers are expected to continue striking for a fourth day on Thursday (July 30) after failing to resolve a wage dispute with employers, Dale Forbes, collective bargaining officer for SAMWU, the union representing 150,000 council workers, said.
    SAMWU is demanding a 15 percent increase and said 70 percent of council workers earn less than the 5,000 rand monthly minimum wage it is demanding. Employers have tabled a revised offer of an effective 13 percent increase.
    Bheki Cele, whom Zuma appointed as new national police chief on Wednesday, attended the media briefing.
    Cele replaces Jackie Selebi who was suspended as national police commissioner in January 2008 and faces a corruption trial in October.
    Zuma said the new police commissioner was responsible for reducing crime in the KwaZulu-Natal province, where he was the local government minister responsible for Transport, Community Safety and Liaison.
    The appointment of Cele drew immediate criticism from the opposition Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP).
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