SAMWU condemns looting at Cape Town March

06 May 2015

The South African Municipal Workers’ Union (SAMWU) has regrettably learnt through media reports of incidents of looting during our March in Cape Town.

We categorically distance ourselves from these incidents which we believe were used by opportunists and criminal elements to exploit street vendors.

We further condemn the City’s decision to deploy a large contingent of armed police officers whose sole purpose was to intimidate workers who were on strike.

Street vendors are part of the working class and as such any attack directed at them would be counter revolutionary and not in our interest in our fight against the City of Cape Town which continues to exploit our members.

We believe that our members are disciplined and class conscious. It is for this reason that we are convinced that none of our members took part in the looting.

We firmly believe that issues which have led to workers in Cape Town are legitimate and that this is a situation which could have been avoided if the City’s management had shown commitment to ensuring that our members’ grievances were addressed timeously and amicably.

The City has however resorted to delay tactics and neglected to fully investigate all grievances.

The City has further ran to the media alleging that SAMWU has not been willing to commit to talks between both parties.

On the contrary, the City has been dragging its feet since 2014 when most of the grievances were raised with management, our members continue to be harassed, exploited and racially abused by their white bosses.  

Statement issued by Papikie Mohale, SAMWU National Media Officer, May 6 2015