WATCH: Violent strikers set truck on fire on Barbara Road
What started as a surprise strike three weeks ago has now turned into a war.
The packaging industry has been dragged into a war.
What started as a surprise strike three weeks ago has now turned into a war where employers have to employ private security to protect staff, assets and stock as striking workers continue to raid premises and cause maximum destruction in well-coordinated attacks.
This is according to David Drew, head of commercial Sub-Saharan Africa for ALPLA South Africa, following two attacks in Kempton Park last week.
In the latest incident, a truck was set alight in Isando on Thursday afternoon last week.
The truck was fully loaded with highly flammable polystyrene containers and was well ablaze when firefighters arrived on the scene.
William Ntladi, spokesperson for Ekurhuleni Disaster and Emergency Management Services (DEMS), said the incident occurred at the intersection of Barbara and Tunny roads. Firefighters from both Primrose and Edenvale responded to the scene.
“On arrival, crews found an articulated truck was well alight,” he said.
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According to him, the driver was chased away without being harmed before the truck was torched. “It is alleged the perpetrators are striking employees from the plastic industry.”
No casualties were recorded on the scene because of the blaze. The call was received just after 5pm and the fire was declared extinguished at 6.35pm.
Ntladi said the scene was handed over to the metro police for further investigations.
Kobeli Mokheseng, spokesperson for the metro police, said they were not on the scene as the police attended. Capt Jethro Mtshali, spokesperson for Kempton Park SAPS, said no such incident was reported to them.
According to Drew, the packaging industry strike started on October 15.
“Striking workers have amplified their violence to the extent that workers and business owners are being violently attacked, as are their cars, buildings and distribution trucks.
“The ALPLA SA plant in Isando was stoned by a group of striking workers, including members of its own staff. A block of concrete narrowly missed a staff member’s head after it came through a window. If it weren’t for the private security, the situation would have been dire,” he said.
“A business was burnt to the ground in Ladybrand. On Tuesday last week, a business owner in Kempton Park was attacked and left in high care. That night, two ALPLA non-striking staff where attacked in their homes and are currently in hospital.”
