Police on Friday arrested a second suspect in connection with the streak of violent attacks against Transnet workers while the courts in Port Elizabeth ordered that the first suspect remain in custody as the police round up the perpetrators of violence. Port Elizabeth police have arrested a second suspect – another Numsa member - in connection with the spate of bombings, arson and thuggery targeted at Transnet employees who chose not to join the union’s industrial action. Police, working with specialised security teams from Transnet, have intensified their hunt for the perpetrators of violent acts.
Two Numsa members, both striking employees at the Ngqura Container Terminal, are currently in police custody. This makes it a second arrest in as many days, as Transnet piles on the pressure on the attackers responsible for bomb attacks, arson, intimidation, torching of cars and other reprehensible acts against our colleagues.
Transnet is confident that the police are close to rounding up all the perpetrators. Numsa, which represents less than half a percent of Transnet’s over 60 000 employees, called its few members at the Ngqura Container Terminal in the Eastern Cape to strike in April 2014. Now in its eighth week, the strike has had minimal impact on our operations but has been characterised by shocking levels of violence, resulting in at least 35 coordinated attacks against those not on strike. The Labour Court has ordered Numsa to stop the violence.
Over the last two days a large number of striking employees have abandoned Numsa’s strike, heeding the company’s call to return to work and be reintegrated into the Transnet family. Once again, we wish to commend our colleagues who have been working tirelessly to ensure minimal disruptions to our operations despite the violent disruptions by Numsa. Our colleagues have been highly supportive of the company’s efforts to end the strike and reintegrate, where possible, those who wish to return.
Transnet Port Terminals