Pikitup truck stoned in Johannesburg
Striking workers at Johannesburg waste management company, Pikitup, on Monday afternoon stoned a municipal truck that was collecting refuse in the city.
Hundreds of workers affiliated to SA Municipal Workers Union (Samwu) were gathered at the union's regional office in Johannesburg near Gandhi Square when a municipal truck came along to collect refuse.
Suddenly a hail of stones rained down on the truck, leaving the driver with no alternative but to flee for his safety.
South African Police Service officers who were on the scene protecting the truck, refused to comment, but confirmed that it was Samwu members who had stoned the truck, but said no arrests had been made.
Samwu members also refused to comment, but continued singing struggle songs outside their union's office.
Earlier in the day, Samwu vowed to intensify the four-week long strike after negotiations broke down last week.
About 4,000 Pikitup workers affiliated to the SA Municipal Workers Union (Samwu) went on an unprotected strike since March 9, demanding wage hikes from R6000 to R10,000 a month and that Managing Director Amanda Nair step down.
This was the fourth strike by Pikitup workers, since November 2015, over the same reasons, though Nair was cleared by the courts on charges of corruption.
Since the strike began, Pikitup resorted to paying R1million a day to hire private contractors to pick up refuse and a security escort to prevent attacks.
Johannesburg Metro Police Services were also roped in to provide security to temporary workers and private contractors.
Last week, temporary workers at waste removal entity Pikitup were attacked in Alexandra, north of Johannesburg, leaving seven people injured.
Meanwhile, the City of Johannesburg has said it was worried about the health and environmental impact of the ongoing strike at Pikitup after a dead rodent tested positive for the dormant Plague.
