NPA heeds call to tackle people behind protests

THE NATIONAL Prosecuting Authority (NPA) has heeded the call by civil society, labour unions and political parties to prosecute those responsible for violent protests which are likely to lead to job losses in the country.

Labour unions including the SA Federation of Trade Unions (Saftu) and SA Clothing and Textile Workers Union (Sactwu) are the latest to raise the alarm as scores of their members are facing possible joblessness due to the ongoing violence, which could lead to shutdowns in their sectors.

Yesterday, Sactwu general secretary Andre Kriel expressed concern about the destruction of one of the factories in KwaZulu-Natal due to the violent protest.

“In Isithebe, a new clothing factory (Kingspark Manufacturers) which was set up in September last year, has been destroyed. Machinery and raw materials have been looted, and nothing remains. In the process, 600 jobs supporting 3 000 family members are now lost.

“We call on the police and other law-enforcement agencies to clamp down hard on such unacceptable violent conduct,” Kriel said.