Guard dies after he is ‘set alight’ during violent strike

Security guard Lesley Lekgalaje Mphahele died on Tuesday after succumbing to injuries sustained after he was doused with petrol and set alight by protesters.

The Plastics Converters Association (PCasa) blamed the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa) for the violence that had resulted from a strike the union called for. The union, meanwhile, said they could not be held responsible.

According to Johan Pieterse, PCasa’s CEO, the organisation brought an application to the Labour Court on October 17, to have the strike declared unprotected. On October 19, the court ruled in favour of Numsa.

However, Pieterse said on the same date PCasa obtained an interdict preventing strikers from damaging property and intimidating employees. On November 2, Numsa’s Irvin Jim and Vusumzi Mahbo were found to be in contempt of court for violating the interdict and were fined R100 000 each, and Numsa fined R1 million.

Pieterse said on November 30, a group of 150 protesters, “many wearing Numsa regalia”, attacked a plastics factory on the East Rand.

This was when Mphahele was reportedly “doused in petrol as he was going for the panic button inside his security office”. He was then set alight with the doors closed so that he could not escape.

The entire office was destroyed, according to Pieterse. Mphahele’s death has been confirmed by Kyle Condon of D&K Management Consultants, the company he worked for.

According to Pieterse and Condon, this is one of many violent incidences since the start of the strike. The managing director of Makulu Plastics and Packaging, Eric Botha, was reportedly forced to have his finger amputated after being assaulted during a protest.

Numsa spokesperson Phakamile Hlubi-Majola said the strike has not been resolved. “We met plastic workers on Monday and they tried to impose the very conditions our members have been rejecting.”