Wage war worsens in Isando with yet another attack
This incident is not the first in an ongoing wage war.
The war on wages in the packaging industry continued at ALPLA in Isando on Tuesday when striking employees took part in yet another violent protest.
According to Morné la Grange, general manager of Alpha Security, he saw at least 100 people – of which some were throwing rocks, bricks and pieces of concrete – march down Director Road at around 3pm.
“From there, it appears they went to Belgrade Road to where ALPLA SA’s plant is located,” la Grange said.
Since the legal strike started on October 15, ALPLA hired private security to protect its staff. These security members dispersed the crowd with rubber bullets.
One security member was taken to hospital after he was struck with a rock above his eye.
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When Express arrived on the scene, the protesters had already left. Pieces of concrete and rocks were strewn in the road and on ALPLA premises. At least three cars’ front windows were smashed and metres of a palisade fence surrounding the ALPLA property was broken down.
This incident is one of five that took place around the Kempton Park area this year.
“There have been a number of injuries as a result of the strike,” said David Drew, head of commercial Sub-Saharan Africa for ALPLA South Africa.
“Two non-striking staff members were taken to hospital after being assaulted in their homes, one staff member in Isando was narrowly missed by a missile thrown through her office window, and last week one of our trucks was petrol bombed. Fortunately, the driver escaped unhurt.”
Drew added that although the strike is legal, Plastic Converters Association (of which APLA forms part) has challenged the motion.
