AfriForum says it is assisting Tshwane metro police as protesting workers go on the rampage

Piles of litter Cantonments Road in Centurion left by protesting City of Tshwane workers. Picture: Jacques Naude/African News Agency(ANA)

Piles of litter Cantonments Road in Centurion left by protesting City of Tshwane workers. Picture: Jacques Naude/African News Agency(ANA)

Published Mar 17, 2022

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Pretoria – AfriForum says its safety team has assisted the Tshwane Metro Police Department (TMPD) during unrest in Pretoria as disgruntled municipal workers embark on a wild cat strike over pay.

“The civil rights organisation AfriForum’s community safety department assisted the (TMPD) today [Wednesday] during violent protests in Pretoria,” AfriForum’s campaign manager Jacques Broodryk said in a statement.

“The (member of the mayoral committee) for community safety in Tshwane, Grandi Theunissen, approached AfriForum for assistance and requested that AfriForum’s air wing deploy its drones to provide time-sensitive information to the TMPD regarding the protesters’ location and activities.”

Broodryk said AfriForum’s neighbourhood watch members, community policing forums and law enforcers also observed the situation and provided the joint operational centre with information on the protest.

“The safety team’s drones fine-combed the Centurion as well as Olievenhoutbosch area and more drones were on standby should the protest spread to other areas,” he said.

On Thursday, the City of Tshwane said it would take action against workers who blocked streets in Centurion with litter, rubble and stones and set rubbish bins on fire, demanding salary increases.

It was left to residents and business people to roll up their sleeves and remove the mess. Pretoria News reported that some community members even attempted to fix traffic lights that had been vandalised.

AfriForum said the protesters caused disruption at the Highlands Shopping Centre in Centurion and also tried to make their way to the Lyttelton police station “but due to swift action and co-operation between the various role players, the situation was soon defused”.

“AfriForum has several neighbourhood and farm watch teams across the country who regularly join forces with law enforcement authorities. Today’s events have once again proved how effective it can be when law enforcement and community safety structures work together to secure communities and property,” said Broodryk.

Approached for comment, the TMPD told IOL that it elected not to comment on the matter.

IOL