Joburg police arrest two after security guard dies during strike at Clover

Police arrested two people after a security guard was killed during a workers’ protest at Clover in Johannesburg on Thursday.

“The victim was allegedly pelted with stones by protesters while three other security officers sustained injuries,” said police spokesperson Col Dimakatso Sello.

She said the two arrested suspects, aged 33 and 47, would appear in court, charged with  murder.

Clover confirmed the incident, saying about 150 striking workers arrived in three buses and attempted to gain access to the Clayville property. Security personnel intervened.

Security guards were allegedly attacked with guns, rocks, batons and other weapons and responded with rubber bullets.

“This morning [on Thursday], striking workers [allegedly] killed another security guard, and critically injured two. The incident took place at Clayville. This is the second guard to be murdered, the first of whom was Mr Tsephe Molatsi who was murdered  by striking workers on 22 January 2022,” said the company in a statement.

Clover said it had photos and video footage of the guards being beaten and one being killed. These were handed to police and would be released to the public once cleared by them. 

Clover said it would not name the hospital where the injured guards were being treated because of safety concerns as witnesses to previous events had allegedly been threatened.

“This simply cannot go on. Repeated violence by union members is completely unacceptable. Another person has now been murdered. The union leaders and their members have all but ignored two interdicts, and are clearly out of control,” said Clover group legal and secretarial manager Steven Velthuysen.

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