Rampaging municipal workers arrested Foreigner murdered

FOUR Amahlathi municipal workers will spend the Easter weekend in jail after being arrested on a charge of public violence.

They were arrested in Stutterheim yesterday when a municipal protest in Stutterheim turned violent.

The busy N6, the route linking Johannesburg and East London, was closed for several hours yesterday as burning tyres barricaded the road.

The chaos brought traffic to a standstill in the small town as workers, who were demanding a wage increase, ran amok.

Police spokesman Captain Nkosikho Mzuku said the workers also damaged municipal property.

The protest comes after negotiations by the local labour forum over standardisation of salaries collapsed on Wednesday.

Amahlathi municipal manager Balisa Sociko said a local labour forum consisting of the employer and employees would meet again to discuss a way forward.

Sociko said the municipality had used a huge chunk of its revenue on the increases since August last year, on 111 employees.

“We cannot continue with the process because it would affect the service delivery budget negatively,” Sociko said.

Mzuku said multiple roads in the town were also blocked off with rubbish and burning tyres.

He said there was a strong police A FOREIGN national, believed to be in his 20s, was killed and his container spaza shop set alight on Wednesday by unknown suspect(s) at Nokhala Location in Kwelerha.

Police spokesman Captain Mluleki Mbi said a case of arson and murder was being investigated.

“It is alleged that the unknown people set alight the container using tyres, petrol and a gas cylinder.

“No arrests have been made at this stage. Anyone with information is requested to contact the SAPS Blue Water detectives,” Mbi said. — Malibongwe Dayimani arrested by the King William’s Town police during the early hours of Wednesday in connection with a business robbery.

They are accused of robbing the Caltex filling station at Parliament Hill in Bhisho last Saturday.

Police spokesman Captain Nkosikho Mzuku said the suspects were arrested at their homes in Quzini location at 2am.

“This follows a suspect raiding operation,” Mzuku said.

“They allegedly robbed the fuel station with knives.

“No injuries were reported during the said incident.”

Mzuku said the suspects are due to appear before the King William’s Town Magistrate’s Court soon on charges of business robbery. — Malibongwe Dayimani