TLU SA today launched a campaign to force the government to put an end to violent and destructive protest actions.
Violence, looting and damages are part of strikes and protest actions in South Africa. Trucks, trains, vehicles and infrastructure such as buildings, schools, clinics, businesses, tertiary institutions and roads are vandalised by economic terrorists daily.
“These are not protest actions or demonstrations; it is acts of economic terror,” says Mr Louis Meintjes, the president of TLU SA. “These deliberate incidents cost the South African economy billions of rands annually due to lost income, time and resources.
“Our members report using leave days because of barricaded, burning towns,” he says. “People fear for their children’s safety because of riots near their schools. Or their insurance premiums increase because of damage to their property during the protest action.”
The number of claims handled by Sasria – the government’s short-term insurer for damage caused by riots and terror – increased sharply in the 2018/19 financial year. Sasria processed more than 5 000 claims amounting to R1.7 billion in the past fiscal year.
“During February we had almost 250 cases of destructive riots throughout the country,” says Mr Meintjes. “It boils down to eight and a half incidents of violent looting per day. When is the government going to start protecting the economy and residents against economic terrorists?”
TLU SA is calling on South Africans who are fed up with any form of economic sabotage to support this campaign and sign the petition. With the appeal, you will give TLU SA the mandate to take on the government over real action against and repair after economic terrorism.
