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• Security wage talks deadlocked

By Candice Bailey & Dianne Hawker

Cosatu has vowed to continue protesting over the next two weeks without restriction.

The union has also called on the provincial government and the City of Cape Town to launch a full-scale investigation into the acts of "police brutality" against striking security guards earlier this week.

The statement by Western Cape general secretary Tony Ehrenreich comes only days after a face-off between police and striking security guards who went on a rampage in the city.

The strikers, attached to the South African Trade and Allied Worker's Union, wreaked havoc throughout the city, smashing cars and shop windows. Police opened fire on them with birdshot and rubber bullets.

The city and provincial government withdrew permission for Thursday's Cosatu protest in the city, deploying policemen into the streets in a bid to deter strikers.

Police spokesperson Elna de Beer said nothing could be done about Cosatu's claims, unless the organisation or individual security guards who felt wronged by police, laid charges.

De Beer said police would investigate any charges of police brutality and if necessary, refer them to the Independent Complaints Directorate.

"We don't investigate allegations, we investigate formal charges which can be laid at any station. The ICD can also investigate any charges of police brutality," she said.

De Beer said police took claims of misconduct very seriously and would deal with them when formally brought to their attention.

The city is in the process of an urgent Cape High Court application to stop any protest action over the next two weeks.

Ehrenreich said Cosatu would not restrict protest action over the next two weeks.

"Our right to protest is an essential right. Our right to strike is guarenteed in the constitution."

Commenting on the investigation Cosatu wanted carried out, Ehrenreich said it needed to look into the ability of the police to control the crowd.

"We feel that the police have a lack of ability to control the crowd. Legal strikers bore the brunt of the police. People were viciously shot by the police. This just created further chaos."

The investigation, according to Ehrenreich, should also check what the involvement of security bosses was in the violence.

Asked whether the investigation should look into violence from strikers, Ehrenreich said it should look "into all violence".

Ehrenreich blamed "agents" within the strikers for the intense violence that has characterised the strike action for the past seven weeks.

"We now know without a doubt that there are agent provocateurs within our ranks, especially in the security industry, and they've been using the time to misconstrue what the key objectives are of our action," he said.

Commenting on the sponsors of the provocateurs Ehrenreich said: "I'd say that the security bosses and their history in the SA Defence Force, and their history in oppressing and disrespecting our people would certainly have a role to play in this."

He said they would work with police to expose the criminal element.

Ehrenreich said they had cancelled the protest because of the action by the provincial government.

candiceb@incape.co.za

diannh@incape.co.za

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