Western Cape police Captain Frederick van Wyk said a group, armed with sticks and stones, approached the delivery truck on the corner of Bromwell and Voortrekker roads in Salt River, Cape Town, around 8.30am.

They broke the windows and set fire to the cabin.

Both occupants managed to run to safety. The driver sustained minor injuries to his left hand.

Van Wyk said the truck was on its way to Ndabeni at the time.

A public violence case was opened and no arrests had been made.

A strike by the SA Transport and Allied Workers’ Union (Satawu) entered its third week on Monday, with violence reported across the country.

Last Wednesday, Cape Town trucker Gary Stewart was hit on the head by a stone thrown through the windshield of his truck while on the N2. The stone throwers were thought to be Satawu members.

Stewart had been on life support with a fractured skull and severe brain damage. His family decided on Monday that his life support machines should be switched off.

Satawu said the strikers who killed Stewart did not belong in the labour movement and should face the law.

“We do not think people like that belong in our democracy and they do not belong with us as Satawu,” spokesman Vincent Masoga said. “No one associated with us can be involved with violence.” 

He said if any Satawu members were found to be involved they would face internal disciplinary processes and the law.

“We are heartbroken at this. We send condolences to his family and fellow workers. The criminals involved must certainly face the wrath of the law.” 

Masoga said Satawu would co-operate with the police’s investigation.

Comments

• Sign in or sign up to comment

Wed Jun 19 22:37:32 SAST 2013 ::

Oct 9, 2012

sabza007

“No one associated with us can be involved with violence.”
.....................................................................................................

Bullshit ! Bloody terrorists. Government must treat these violent striking miners,truckers,municipality workers and etc as TERRORISTS.
Report Abuse

Oct 9, 2012

candilious

@sabza- I agree examples must be made like GOLD one
Report Abuse

Oct 9, 2012

MommaC

I was under the impression that, if a strike turned violent or if intimidation began, the strike immediately became unlawful.

What makes me angry is the 'no arrests' for everything. The vrot cops must get out of the coffee shops and DO THEIR JOBS
Report Abuse

Oct 9, 2012

DA-DBN-GUY

Welcome to SA! Safe haven for thugs, savages and criminals.
Report Abuse

Oct 9, 2012

sabza007

I miss Bheki Cele in times like these. He must come back to the same position during whoever will be president in the next term.
Report Abuse

Oct 9, 2012

RobinH

sabza: I agree. Normal strike activity according to the rules of collective bargaining is perfectly acceptable, but setting out with the deliberate intention of crippling the national economy is outright treason and should be treated as such.

MommaC: And when arrested, their mates just besiege management until they are released. Unreal.

Candi: Hmmm, summary firing is problematic, but after so much violence and irrational thuggery perhaps the only way to deal with the situation. Fire the lot, and then rehire those who prove reliable. The problem, of course, is that any dissent is met with d e a t h.
Report Abuse

Oct 9, 2012

MommaC

RobinH

they can find a bunch of soccer hooligans within a week but they cannot find a single rioter who burns a vehicle in the middle of rush-hour? Someone needs to start riding (literal) shotgun and give as good as they get
Report Abuse

Oct 9, 2012

cornelius

Ja Masoga - your sympathy is too late - when your members strike you are responsible ant must exercise control - its too late SATAWU must be held accountable for this loss of life and massive damage to property. Maybe then they will start making sure their protest actions don't get out of hand.
Report Abuse

Oct 9, 2012

cornelius

@sabza007, ag no man Bheki Cele is a thug, we don't need him, there are many other people who can do the job of chief of police much better if they are appointed, the problem is that JZ only wants cronies in top positions.
Report Abuse

Oct 9, 2012

RobinH

MommaC: Ja I know. They find a guy who shoots a councillor within hours AND actually have him in court and sentenced the next day, but murderers, rapists and thugs..... take forever.
Report Abuse

Read all 14 comments