Dozens of employees in Midrand are arrested for contempt of a court order

Police arrested 37 employees who were protesting outside a company in Midrand on 28 October for contempt of a court order, public violence and assault of a police officer.

According to Sergeant Matome Tlamela, spokesperson for the Midrand Police Station, at around 8.20am about 200 protestors blocked the road and the entrance to the company.

“Protesters parked about 30 cars full of other employees, causing the business to come to a halt and threatened security personnel at the site with violence. This is in contravention of the court order obtained by the company after the strikers violated the picketing rules,” she said.

“The court order granted on 18 September interdicted and restrained the strikers from barring access to the company, as well as intimidation of non-striking workers and clients’ deliveries. It ordered them to be 50 metres away from the perimeters of the company’s premises,” she added.

Tlamela said that police were then called and a confrontation ensued between the strikers and the police.

“One officer was manhandled. When police tried to impound the alleged vehicles, the striking employees drove away. At around 12pm they started again, gathering on the corner of George Road and Old Pretoria Road where they started intimidating and threatening motorists, truck deliveries and the public.

“The police tried to engage them but failed. The strikers started attacking the police after one of the leaders was arrested and put into the back of a police vehicle. Another police officer was also attacked and was hit on the left eye with a fist by one of the strikers.”

Police had to retreat and wait on Public Order Police (Pops) members to arrive. “The Midrand police, with the help of Pops, were able to approach the striking employees, ordering them to disperse as they were becoming a threat to the public.

“Some of the employees were reluctant – police then managed to arrest the second ring leader and 35 other suspects.”