Cell phone footage of Wednesday’s tragic shooting at the municipality, contradicts PPP Protection and Security’s narrative that armed contract guards were attacked by scores of striking employees.

Instead, the confrontation captured only shows the lone victims of the shooting confronting the guards.

The heavily armed guards, according to the footage, are clearly not outnumbered.

And, there’s no major shootout involved as the company allege.

The video shows the four victims being shot by a lone gunman who opens fire as they retreat.

The gunman also fires off a last shot towards a fleeing employee.

The incident happened after striking employees broke down the main entrance gate, after which the victims can be seen, engaging with security forces.

There’s some pushing and shoving between employees and the guards before shots are fired.

PPP Protection and Security claim they were fired at first, after which police were called.

The company alleges that three female officers identified the shooter, but returned his weapon to him after ordering the employee to leave the civic centre.

According to guards, the armed employee simply moved from the back of the municipality to the front.

The company says the armed employee was one of the four victims wounded.

In the background of the video no other municipal employees can be seen in the street, where hundreds gathered after the shooting, blocking Wanderers Avenue.

Tensions exploded with employees kicking a paramedic, and slashing tires of police vans. A truck was also set alight.

The video does not show the events preceding the shootings, or the aftermath.

A different video, however, shows armed guards fleeing the municipality in two minibuses.

Acting Municipal Manager, Ms Thokozile Zulu, who employees blame for the shootings, had to be escorted from the municipal buildings, after workers broke down gates upon learning of her presence inside.

The municipality has meanwhile denounced the violence in a press release, a day after the shootings.

Employees say that their workplace had been militarized against them, and have vowed to continue with the strike until their demands are met.
Two employees were killed, and two others seriously wounded.