UPDATE: Petrol bombs used in violent Spartan strike, CEO in hospital
Ten motor vehicles and two trucks on the premises were damaged
The CEO at GP Packaging Manufacturer and Distributor sustained serious injuries during a strike at the company on Newton Road in Spartan on Tuesday.He was rushed to Arwyp and underwent surgery on Tuesday afternoon.
The strike formed part of an ongoing plastic manufacturing strike by National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (NUMSA) members.
Ten motor vehicles and two trucks on the premises were damaged by strikers throwing petrol bombs. One truck and one vehicle burned out.
According to Ekurhuleni Disaster and Emergency Management Services spokesperson William Ntladi, they received a call at about 11.50am from the warehouse, informing them it was on fire.
“When we arrived, we found vehicles were on fire,” said Ntladi.
“Fortunately, employees of the company managed to put out the fire using fire extinguishers,” said Ntladi. “We also called law enforcement to the scene to maintain the situation.”When Express arrived at the scene, the strikers were gone.
Ntladi said they went to the premises, destroyed whatever they could in a short space of time and disappeared.
Jacques Boshoff of Formel Security Group said there were about 70 to 100 NUMSA members.
“They tried to forcibly open the locked gate. Security warned them three times after which they started throwing stones through the gate and over the wall,” said Boshoff.
“The security guard tried to scare them off with rubber bullets and paintball guns.
”The security guard fired four to five non-lethal rounds into the ground and the strikers moved around the corner and broke down a perimeter wall. They went into the premises through the broken wall and started throwing petrol bombs towards the parked vehicles on the premises.They also assaulted the CEO of the company and the security guard.
“We were called at 11.55am. We discovered the CEO was injured and rushed to Arwyp Medical Centre where he was taken into surgery,” continued Boshoff.
“The security guard had lacerations to his left arm. He was treated by our paramedics and taken to Tembisa Hospital by our ambulance.
Ward councillor Simon Lapping said: “I have advised the company to open criminal charges against NUMSA and affiliates under the common purpose of doctrine. Kempton Park SAPS has confirmed this had been done,” said Lapping.
“I have also advised the company to institute civil action against NUMSA as NUMSA has a responsibility to ensure that its members conduct themselves in an orderly manner.”The company had been temporarily closed to allow for investigations to continue.
