Cops to be deployed ahead of Samwu march

Cape Town – The City of Cape Town will deploy law enforcement and SAPS members to the CBD ahead of a planned march by the South African Municipal Workers Union (Samwu) on Wednesday morning, the City announced on Tuesday.

In an advisory issued to CBD residents and businesses, the City said that Samwu members would be marching to the Civic Centre to hand over a memorandum to City officials.

The march is set to take place from 10:00 from Keizergracht.

The route is as follows: The group is set to turn left into Tennant Street and proceed past the Cape Town Station into Christiaan Barnard Street, then turn left into Hertzog Boulevard and make their way to the Civic Centre. The group will gather outside the Civic Centre opposite the Standard Bank building.

According to the advisory: “The City’s law enforcement department, together with the South African Police Service, will be deployed along the route.”

Earlier the Cape Argus reported that striking Samwu workers have picketed at 12 sites across the Western Cape on Monday.

According to the daily the protest action follows restorative relations between the union and the city. They city said after a various meetings over the last year most of Samwu’s grievances had been resolved, and plans were in place to address the outstanding issues.

City’s mayoral committee member for corporate services, Councillor Xanthea Limberg, said: “The Samwu leadership agreed to abide by the picketing rules but thus far their members have chosen to transgress these rules. We strongly condemn the violence and militancy that has displayed by Samwu members since the strike began. “

Linberg said that all acts of vandalism and intimidation will be handled within the ambit of the law. “While the union has a right to strike, non-striking members and the public at large have the right to a safe passage to work and other business. Members of the public are urged to immediately report any acts of intimidation, violence and vandalism to the SAPS.”