BREAKING NEWS: Municipal security allegedly attacks and removes SAMWU members

“The security guards beat us with their revolvers and threw us out of the municipality!”

These were the harrowing words of a South African Municipal Worker’s Union (SAMWU) member, after security guards allegedly, on the orders of  the upper echelon members of the Emadlangeni Municipality, removed workers from the municipal offices today.

Calls were placed to the municipality, but senior municipal officials were in a meeting and unable to attend to urgent media requests.

Mayor, Joe Zikhali is, according to municipal sources, not in Utrecht at the moment. Coupled with his vow to not speak to the media, and the unaswered calls placed to him, comment may not be forthcoming from the councillor.

SAMWU officials further alleged one of the workers had a gun levelled at him, and he was threatened by the private security company tasked with the safety of the municipality.

Not all SAMWU workers have been removed from the municipal buildings, and officials are fearful for the safety of these members.

Allegedly, the first signs of violence began yesterday afternoon, when a few members of the union were asked to leave the municipality by security personnel.

However, this morning, the employees were barred by gun-toting security officials, and were physically removed from the premises.

Furthermore, on Monday a SAMWU shop steward was placed under precautionary suspension pending a full investigation, and a decision was taken this morning to officially suspend him.

Allegedly, the meeting this morning was irregular and the decision taken was illegal.

“The municipal officials are scared now, because the media has begun investigating them. They think we are feeding the media information and are now attacking us, after they saw yesterday’s Advertiser,” alleged a SAMWU member.

This story is still developing and will be updated as more facts become clear.