Police fire rubber bullets at Pikitup protest, seven wounded

25 November 2015 - 18:51 By Shaun Smillie

Paramedics treated seven Pikitup workers after police opened fire on them with rubber bullets on Wednesday afternoon. For a second day members of the SA Municipal Workers Union marched through the Johannesburg CBD‚ leaving streets strewn with rubble and burning rubbish.Parts of Braamfontein had to be blocked off as strikers tried to make their way to the Joburg mayor's office. They were eventually persuaded to turn back.Samwu regional chairman Conel MacKay said that none of his members were arrested and that no one was seriously injured. Shortly after the incident‚ workers began to disperse after union representatives told them that they would be meeting with Pikitup management at 4pm.Some of the workers however opted to stay behind on Bertha street and began dancing to music pumped out by a large PA system loaded on the back of bakkie. This‚ as police watched on.Samwu embarked on the unprotected strike on Monday. The strikers are calling for better remuneration and salary structures...

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