Cape Town – One person was reportedly shot dead on Monday as hundreds of disgruntled farm workers protested in Kirkwood in the Eastern Cape.
According to Herald Live, Benito Moses, 35, was found unconscious and covered in blood on a hill that overlooked the Habata Boerdery farm just after 12pm.
Protesters blockaded roads with burning tyres and clashed with armed security guards hired by farmers as well as police, the report said.
Every season, Kirkwood becomes a melting pot of diff cultures. During this time, the most heinous crimes occur and no one is ever arrested.
It has some of laziest cops I have ever come across.
Ingathi they would rather deal with dead bodies than do actual detective work. https://t.co/bhIL8kuBv0
— Nomazima Nkosi (@Zima_B_Nkosi) April 25, 2022
Police confirmed that three people were injured during protests that started last week and were believed to be about wage increases, News24 reported.
“One of the injured is a police officer, while the other is a member of the public who was reportedly injured and later died in hospital. The third one is reported to be a security guard, who was assaulted, and two cars belonging to a private security company were set alight,” the report quoted police spokesperson Brigadier Tembinkosi Kinana as saying.
South African farms under attack – Kirkwood. pic.twitter.com/pKGlLzj2Je
— K9_Reaper ?☠️ Jester (@k9_reaper) April 26, 2022
Algoa FM quoted Agri Eastern Cape President, Peter Cloete, as saying that what was happening in Kirkwood was tragic.
“To think that law-abiding citizens are having all their property damaged by a bunch of hooligans who are doing the damage that they’re doing, and I think its a travesty of justice that the police cannot control it and protect law-abiding citizens from a situation like this,” Cloete said.
For some days, situation in Kirkwood, Eastern Cape has been tense with reports of buring of farm vehicles and other infrastructures. More updates to follow pic.twitter.com/7bLBwa25as
— BEAST OF NEWS (@EversonLuhanga) April 26, 2022
Meanwhile, farm owners in the Sundays River Valley Municipality were granted an interim interdict by the High Court in Gqeberha on Monday to stop protesting workers and supporters from entering or being within 500 metres of the farms, Daily Maverick reported.
The protesters were reportedly demanding a R30 an hour minimum wage when the government’s minimum wage was R23.19 an hour.
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Compiled by Betha Madhomu
