53 members of SACCAWU who were on pickets in all Makro stores right around the country as part of a protected strike were severely assaulted by police on the instruction of Makro management. This is happening at a time when South Africa emerged from a painful past as witnessed in the Marikana massacre.
Police had no justification to use such excessive force on peaceful picketers. One of our members who happened to be pregnant was shot on the buttocks. One woman was also hospitalized when she was shot in her chest. This violence against women happens at a time when the country is observing and decrying all forms of Gender Based Violence and Femicide (GBVF). The GBVF act against our female employees injured by police will be reported to the Department of Women Youth and Disabilities.
SACCAWU is busy consulting with its lawyers and will be taking stern action to defend members, including litigation against both the police and Makro from damages suffered by our workers this heinous act by the company and the police. We are also going to approach the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) to investigate any misconduct on the part of the police and subsequent consequences over their actions. Lastly SACCAWU will lastly approach the Human Rights Commission to see if there aren’t any human rights violations on this matter.
ENDS
For more information please call:
Sithembele Tshwete
Head Media and Research
SACCAWU
073 956 3108