Category Archives: SAPA

M&G: Peace organisation blames Zuma, ANC for Marikana killings

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http://mg.co.za/article/2012-08-18-peace-organisation-blames-zuma-anc-for-marikana-killings

Peace organisation blames Zuma, ANC for Marikana killings

New Zealand-based Global Peace and Justice Auckland has blamed Zuma and the ANC-led government for a shootout at the Lonmin mine in Marikana.

A New Zealand-based organisation has blamed President Jacob Zuma and the ANC-led government for a shootout at the Lonmin mine in Marikana, in the North West, that left 34 workers dead.

Spokesperson for the Global Peace and Justice Auckland (GPJA) John Minto wrote in an open letter to Zuma that the government had “blood on their hands”.

“Just as we held the apartheid regime responsible for the massacres in the 70’s and 80’s, we now hold the ANC government responsible for the massacre of striking mineworkers.”

Minto said members of the organisation had watched with growing alarm at the direction the ANC leadership had taken South Africa since the first democratic election in 1994.

“Under the ANC we have seen South Africa change seamlessly from race-based apartheid to economic apartheid”.

He said the strike came as a result of the ANC’s choice to follow free-market economic policies.

“Such policies had always transferred wealth from the poor to the rich and stripped hope from the majority” he said.

Struggle for liberation

He said the struggle for liberation was not aimed at placing a few black faces at the top table in South Africa.

New Zealand-based media outlet 3 News reported on Saturday that GPJA protesters attacked the South African consulate building in Auckland in response to the shooting.

They used red paint bombs to splatter the walls and windows and stuck the open letter on the door.

A total of 34 people were killed in a shootout that erupted near the mine on Thursday when police tried to disperse striking miners.

More than 78 people were injured. Another 10 people had by then been killed in the violent protests at the mine over the past week.

President Jacob Zuma visited Lonmin yesterday where he condemned the violence. He called for an inquiry into the incident. – Sapa.

News 24: Cops deny firing bullets at protesters

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http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/Cops-deny-firing-bullets-at-protesters-20120627

Cops deny firing bullets at protesters

Durban – Police in KwaZulu-Natal denied on Wednesday that they had shot three unarmed people with live ammunition in Umlazi.

“No individual was shot last night. It’s all lies,” said Lieutenant Colonel Vincent Mdunge.

“It is a matter to solely discredit the police. These are hooligans who want to take over the streets of Umlazi and we can’t allow that.”

On Wednesday morning, Unemployed People’s Movement spokesperson Bheki Buthelezi claimed police had shot at unarmed protesters who were trying to occupy the office of a ward councillor in Umlazi.

Protest

“One of the people who was shot has been found in a hospital, but the condition and whereabouts of the other two is not clear at the moment,” Buthelezi said.

“The police in Durban have a record of using live ammunition against unarmed protesters, of using torture against activists and of trying to fabricate cases against activists.”

Buthelezi said the organisation was concerned about the safety of activists and that the situation could get worse.

However, Mdunge said similar incidents had been reported in the last week while road construction was happening on the Mangosuthu Highway in Umlazi.

“There is no truth in it… Local community members are demanding that all of them should be employed and that is impossible,” he said.

“They resorted to burning tyres and throwing stones on the one available lane going in and coming out of Umlazi. As the police, we can’t allow that. We cleared the highway and no shots were fired.”

Mdunge said police would continue to monitor the situation.

– SAPA

M&G: Police ban use of rubber bullets on protesters

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http://mg.co.za/article/2012-01-14-police-ban-use-of-rubber-bullets-on-protesters/

Police ban use of rubber bullets on protesters

Police officers are no longer allowed to use rubber bullets or shotguns on protesters, Beeld reported on Saturday.

The order was made at the end of December by Lieutenant General Elias Mawela from the police’s reaction unit to all police officers in the country.

This follows widespread use of force by police, over the past two years, mainly in protests over service delivery.

The use of force and rubber bullets was highlighted by the death of Andries Tatane last April during a protest in Ficksburg.

According to the communiqué by Malewa there many control incidents where a large number of rubber bullets were used over the last few months.

“Some of these incidents led to negative publicity in the media which led to questions about the use of rubber bullets in such situations,” he reportedly wrote.

Rubber bullets are, according to regulation 262, to be used as a last resort.

In spite of the regulation and that supplies of rubber bullets were recently decreased, there were still serious injuries,” he said.

“The use of rubber bullets and bird-shot must therefore summarily be halted.”

Negotiation remains the first option, then pyrotechnics [blanks], water cannons or tear gas can be used.

The goal must be to defuse conflict with minimum force. — Sapa

Sunday Tribune: Abahlali marches against official

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http://www.sundaytribune.co.za/abahlali-marches-against-official-1.1172184

Abahlali marches against official

Shackdweller movement Abahlali baseMjondolo marched to the Durban city hall on Saturday to call for the resignation of an eThekwini municipality official.

“He (Nigel Gumede) has spent his tenure continuously neglecting the poor and failing to meet the needs of the poor in this city,” spokesman Bandile Mdlalose in a statement.

“Many continue to live in life threatening conditions year after year.”

Hundreds of marchers would wait at the city hall for a representative to receive the memorandum.

Abahlali claims Gumede threatened its members and was an obstacle to its efforts.

Gumede, who is the chairman of the Housing and Infrastructure Portfolio Committee and Infrastructure for the region, was not immediately available for comment. – Sapa

M&G: Protests rage on in Thembelihle

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http://mg.co.za/article/2011-09-09-protests-rage-on-thembelihle

Protests rage on in Thembelihle

Police fired rubber bullets at protesting Thembelihle residents in Lenasia, south of Johannesburg, on Friday, Gauteng police said.

“They were blocking the K43 with burning tyres and throwing stones at the police,” said Captain Mbulaheni Netshivhodza.

He said police had asked the crowd to disperse, but they persisted in throwing stones.

The police fired rubber bullets to bring the situation under control and the protesters then “retreated” into the informal settlement.

“Things are under control again now and we are monitoring the situation,” Netshivhodza said.

No arrests had been made, and no serious injuries were reported.

Service delivery protests began in the township on Monday.

About 500 residents barricaded Klipspruit Valley Road with stones and burning tyres until Wednesday morning.

Residents also set fire to three electrical load centres, causing damage of R1.5-million and depriving most of Lenasia extensions nine to 11 of power from Monday night to 3am on Wednesday.

Public lighting had been installed in Thembelihle to improve security in the area, but this infrastructure had been damaged by illegal connections. Citypower said it would remove the illegal connections, but maintain the public lighting. – Sapa