Job-seeking protesters damage property
POLICE had their hands full yesterday when more than 1 000 members of the ANC Youth League (ANCYL) demanded jobs at the opening of the Ballito Junction Mall yesterday.
They hurled rocks at the new mall and broke boom gates as they stormed through the rooftop parking area.
Musa Zondi, the league spokesman, said mall developers requested young people to apply for jobs, but claimed none of the applicants had been considered.
Zondi called on the private sector to empower youth through partnerships and business opportunities.
“Young people are capable of supplying and providing goods and services such as security, maintenance, cleaning, to name but a few,” Zondi said.
The majority of the protesters walked about 30km, from the Sofaya Sports Field in Ntshawini, north of KwaDukuza, to the mall.
They met their counterparts marching from Shaka’s Head near the N2, and walked together to the mall along the main road.
The youth league leadership demanded that police allow them into the mall to hand over their memorandum. Moments later rocks were thrown at the security guards at one of the entrances.
The crowd broke a fence at one of the parking ramps, removed the booms at the entrance and exit, and made their way on to the platform towards the mall entrance.
Public order police had to ward off the protesters from this entrance. Once the memorandum was handed over to the mall management, the crowd dispersed.
Among the ANCYL’s list of demands were that young people in the area be given first preference for employment opportunities; emerging local business people partner with well-established businesses; better salaries for all young people; and the provision of full employment for workers employed as contract workers in services which will continue beyond the construction phase.