Bakery petrol-bombed

Shots also fired at guard during early morning attack in Walmer

ACLOSED Blue Ribbon bakery in Walmer was petrol-bombed early yesterday, with shots fired at a security guard. This comes after 50 workers protested at the company’s Korsten depot in Port Elizabeth on Monday due to retrenchment packages offered by Blue Ribbon, which is part of the Premier Foods Group.

The group invested millions of rands into Port Elizabeth when it launched into the regional bread market in 2014.

But it is now consolidating its Eastern Cape operations and has shut down production in the city.

Police spokeswoman Colonel Priscilla Naidu said three petrol bombs were thrown into the Heugh Road bakery at about 2.20am.

“Fortunately, nothing was damaged in the incident. However, the security guard on site was extreme- ly shaken,” she said. Naidu said an unknown number of people marched to the premises, where they fired random shots at the security guard as well as throwing the petrol bombs inside.

“It is suspected that they were shooting at the on-site security. However, it was very dark and details remain sketchy,” Naidu said.

Asked about a link between the incident and the protest, Naidu said the probe was in its early stages.

“We do not want to speculate at this stage. The investigation must take its course and during this time detectives will seek to identify the perpetrators,” she said.

Premier Foods Group wants to retrench 61 workers across the province.

The reason given for the shutdown was that the existing Port Elizabeth bakery was not optimal to meet future volume and technology requirements.

Premier spokeswoman Siobhan O’Sullivan said it was their intention to resolve the strike amicably.

“The strike has been relatively peaceful since it commenced on Friday,” she said.

Regarding the fire and shooting, O’Sullivan confirmed that limited damage was caused and no one was injured.

“The fire was immediately extinguished. A window in the guard house was damaged,” she said.