Police launch stun grenades, fire rubber bullets to disperse EFF members protesting at Tshwane House

The EFF protests outside Tshwane House against the DA-led coalition’s decision to ‘reverse the monumental milestone achieved regarding the council-approved process of insourcing security guards and cleaners’. Picture: James Mahlokwane

The EFF protests outside Tshwane House against the DA-led coalition’s decision to ‘reverse the monumental milestone achieved regarding the council-approved process of insourcing security guards and cleaners’. Picture: James Mahlokwane

Published May 19, 2022

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Pretoria - The Tshwane Metro Police Department launched stun grenades and fired rubber bullets to disperse EFF members protesting and preventing people from entering Tshwane House ahead of a budget speech set to be delivered by MMC for Finance Peter Sutton today.

One EFF member fell and struggled to breath.

EFF members blocked all entry points at Tshwane House in protest against the budget speech.

Ahead of the police stepping in frustrations mounted as some council members, City of Tshwane staff and the media could not make their way inside the building for proceedings.

Soshanguve ANC councillor Enos Chiloane clashed with EFF councillors before making his way into the chambers after he fought his way through the protesters to enter Tshwane House.

EFF leader Obakeng Ramabodu calmed him down and took him away from his entourage of EFF councillors to avoid an escalation of the confrontation.

The MMC responsible for Community Safety, Grandi Theunissen also clashed with EFF councillors trying to make the leaders instruct their members to allow the gates to be opened.

Ramabodu and his caucus shouted at Theunissen asking him who he thought he was to try and make demands to their people. His security eventually separated him from the EFF councillors.

Ramabodu said members of his party were angry and disappointed by the DA-led coalition for failing to insource workers in cleaning and security services. A decision he deemed an aid to tender and contracts that enrich a few people at the expense of the workers.

However, the DA-led administration has insisted that the City was struggling financially and could not afford to absorb all the workers.

Executive Mayor Randall Williams said the City was not in a position to afford that right now.

Ramabodu said: “The long and sustained predicament of the workers came to an end in 2019 when the EFF, through a council motion, succeeded in pushing for the insourcing of security guards and cleaners.

“Surprisingly, the DA and its proxies in council are plotting to reverse the gains made in 2019 for the insourcing of these workers."

He said the security guards and cleaners in the City of Tshwane had been subjected to an exploitative and capitalistic system of “tenderpreneurship”.

Pretoria News