Johannesburg – One protester was shot and wounded by private security guards during a protest in Boksburg North, police said on Wednesday.
The protester, who had been among Numsa protesters participating in protest actions to demand wage increases, was rushed to a local medical facility.
Numsa members are demanding salary increases in the engineering sector. They said the current offer on the table would not improve their lives.
Gauteng police spokesperson Captain Kay Makhubele said police also monitored two other protest sites in Booysens and Krugersdorp.
He said police were investigating a case of attempted murder for the shooting and no arrests had been made.
“Police can confirm that one person was shot and injured by the security guard in Boksburg North today (Weds).
“It is alleged that the person shot was among the people wearing Numsa T-shirts (who were protesting),” he said.
Police were also investigating a case of public violence, he said.
Meanwhile, at the Booysens protest, he said a group of protesters – also clad in Numsa T-shirts – protested outside a factory and police were forced to fire rubber bullets to disperse the crowd.
“Police were called to one factory where a group of people in Numsa T-shirts attacked the security officers.
“Police used rubber bullets to disperse the group and security and the person in the Numsa T-shirt were taken to hospital,” said Makhubele.
In Krugersdorp, police monitored the situation and there were no reported incidents.
IOL