Four injured in toll booth attack as strike enters day two

Four people were injured after striking protesters lobbed stones and bricks at temporary employees working in booths at the Mvoti toll plaza in KwaDukuza on the north coast of Durban on Tuesday morning.

IPSS Medical Rescue spokesman Paul Herbst said that the four cashiers in the toll booths came under attack around 6am.

“They started throwing bricks and stones and the four workers were treated for multiple lacerations and abrasions.”

He said the toll plaza was now free as there were no employees manning the booths and that local police were monitoring a group of about 25 protesters.

South African Transport and Allied Workers Union (Satawu) members employed by Intertoll Africa embarked on strike action on Monday over wage negotiations.

Public order policing were kept busy since 5am on Monday after groups of protesters barricaded roads with burning tyres and blocked access at various toll roads in KwaZulu-Natal.

SAPS spokesman Colonel Thembeka Mbhele said police were deployed to Marianhill‚ Mtunzini‚ Mvoti and the Tongaat toll plazas since the early hours of Monday morning.

In a statement‚ Satawu said the strike was a “last resort” after the company failed to implement a negotiated wage deal in March.

Employees are demanding a minimum wage of R7‚000 a month – an increase from R3‚970 – for toll collectors‚ administrators and cleaners from Intertoll Africa‚ which is part of the Group 5 consortium. They are asking for a minimum of R11‚000 for supervisors‚ who currently earn about R7‚000.