Upper Tongaat protesters accuse farm security of abuse

More than 200 angry Upper Tongaat residents are demanding that privately owned security company Reaction Unit South Africa leave the area immediately after they claim their officers assaulted community members for no reason.

Blocking the roads and overturning a tractor, the demonstrators who claimed that they were being regularly beaten, addressed Upper Tongaat farm owners who were responsible for hiring the security company to look after their properties.

The farmers were told they have until tomorrow to cancel their contract with RUSA and to appoint another security company.

Also read: Protesters demand principal’s head after child was allegedly sexually molested by other pupils

Ndwedwe mayor Nkosinathi Chili attended the protest today to hear the people’s concerns.

“There are more than 10 incidents of RUSA officers assaulting our people, some of whom work on these farms.

“On May 24, a man was accused of stealing ginger at one of the farms and he was told by the farm owner that RUSA officers wanted to talk to him.

“When he approached the guards, the man was handcuffed and severely beaten up. He has now partly lost hearing in one of his ears,” said Chili.

Protestors said a memorandum with their demands had been handed to the farmers a month ago and nothing had been done.

Farm owners addressed the crowd saying the contract with RUSA could not be cancelled in a day as they would need to give the company a month’s notice.

Residents, however, refused these terms, insisting that the company would not be allowed operate in the area for another day and have vowed to continue the protest until their demands were met.

Umhlali SAPS captain Vinny Pillay said the situation was getting out of control.

He said there were fears that if the security company was forced to leave, it would leave farms open to criminal activities in the time it takes to hire a new company.

“The protesters have now gone to one of the farm owners homes to continue demonstrating and he is concerned for his family’s safety.

“We are opening criminal cases against those responsible for overturning a privately owned tractor.”

Pillay said there were three reported cases of assault involving RUSA officers.

RUSA CEO Prem Balram said he was aware of the allegations and was investigating them.

He said that although some of his officers were under investigation for previously assaulting people, he believed this protest was done with ulterior motives.

“I called a meeting with the farmers and the community last week but the community members did not pitch.

“I believe they have a hidden agenda and that they are fabricating cases so that Reaction Unit are forced to move out of the area.

“There have been a few incidents and people were advised to open cases against my members for investigation.

“In one case, my staff was charged and the case is still pending.

“We also have disciplinary procedures in place internally to address matters such as these.”

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