For immediate release
25 February 2021
The National Union of Public Service and Allied Workers (NUPSAW) strongly condemns the attack and arrest of SAFTU Western Cape Provincial Secretary, comrade Andre Adams, and DEMAWUSA Chairperson comrade Nadine Simons yesterday during the #SAFTUStayAway in the Western Cape.
As NUPSAW, we are outraged by this brutal attack by the South African Police Services (SAPS) on our people, condemning the unprofessional act of use of force on peaceful protesters, whereby the SAPS used barbed wire and stun grenades when the demonstrators never possessed any danger from the footage shared on social media. Using violence against those who exercise that right, the police reveal the true extent of the ANC regime’s brutality.
We have noted that if you burn down schools, the police do nothing, but if you protest about free, decolonised and high-quality public education; the construction of a new economy including a minimum wage of R12,500 a month for all workers and a moratorium on all job losses and a non-racial, non-sexist, democratic, socialist society they respond like this. SAPS must stop using force unlawful and instead uphold its obligation to protect South African people’s human rights.
SAFTU National Strike took place across provinces yesterday; the attack on our cadres is a consequence of the grave crisis affecting our society, resulting from corrupt ANC-led capitalism and the wrong economic and social policies. The SAPS behaviour will not silence activists who have the right to protest without intimidation and organise without official interference peacefully.
We demand all the trumped-up charges be dropped. They have not conducted any unlawful action against the Constitution since there were no more than 100 people at the demonstration. We call on SAPS officials who target peaceful protestors to be held accountable for their actions.
For more information:
Kagiso Makoe
NUPSAW Media Officer
Cell: 083 712 1614
Success Mataitsane
NUPSAW General Secretary
Cell: 082 553 8465