GroundUp reports that at least two people, including Western Cape secretary of the South African Federation of Trade Unions (Saftu), were arrested during a standoff between police and protesters in the Cape Town CBD on Wednesday.

The protest was part of demonstrations organised by the federation and supported by other affiliate groups across the country. There were demonstrations in Cape Town, Johannesburg and Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth). The aim of the protests was to show worker’s frustration over the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic through mass retrenchments, wage freezes and brutal austerity measures. In Cape Town, police tried to stop the group of about 40 people from marching to Parliament, where Finance Minister Tito Mboweni was due to deliver his budget speech. The group was instructed to disperse because gathering for a protest was not allowed under lockdown level 3. Chairperson of Saftu, Nyaniso Siyana, told protesters that they would instead head to Parliament by motorcade. Saftu members then got into their cars and headed to Parliament while a few were seen walking. Police blocked access near Parliament and stopped a Saftu branded car. This led to a confrontation and the arrests of Saftu provincial secretary Andre Adams and a female union member. In Johannesburg, about 150 people picketed outside the CCMA against recent budget cuts at the establishment.

• Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Tariro Washinyira, Masego Mafata and Thamsanqa Mbovane at GroundUp <https://www.groundup.org.za/article/least-two-arrested-during-standoff-between-police-and-saftu-cape-town/>
• Read too, Chaos unfolds in Cape Town as Saftu protest shut down by police, at News24

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