Pretoria - The case of the three people arrested for public violence and malicious damage to property during a two-day protest by municipal workers at Tshwane House last month has been postponed until October 19.
The three - a 39-year-old woman and two men aged 39 and 44 - were arrested on Tuesday following an investigation.
They appeared briefly in the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court yesterday.
Police spokesperson Brigadier Mathapelo Peters said on July 21, public order police were deployed to the head offices of the City of Tshwane in the CBD to monitor the protests by municipal workers affiliated to the SA Municipal Workers’ Union.
During the protest, the municipal headquarters were damaged, streets were blocked and strewn with litter and waste bins were set alight.
“On both days of the protest, the police responded to sporadic incidents of vandalism, and in some instances, members patrolling on foot had to shut down municipal fire hydrants that were opened and purposely left running, allegedly by the protesters.”
Provincial SAPS commissioner Lieutenant-General Elias Mawela said the police would not hesitate to arrest anyone who broke the law during protests of any nature.
“Lawlessness can never have a justifiable basis.
“We must also emphasise the illegality of any gathering during the Covid-19 lockdown if not for purposes of a funeral service.
“Conveners of such illegal gatherings will be charged for contravention of the Covid-19 Disaster Management Act and lockdown regulations,” Mawela said.
Tshwane head administrator Mpho Nawa said the special Local Labour Forum held a meeting with administrators and representatives of the union, as well as the Independent Municipal and Allied Trade Union, to decide on the implementation of the 6.25% annual wage increase and the benchmarking collective agreement. A decision about the matter was not made, he said.
“As we continue with our negotiations with unions, we call on all employees to have a full appreciation of the financial challenges the City finds itself in.”
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Pretoria News