'Our lives are being ruined by broken vows'
8 February 2010, 23:44
A protest by disgruntled police reservists briefly turned violent in Johannesburg on Monday when police fired rubber bullets.
Gallery: Protest Turns Violent
The reservists failed to obey an instruction to disperse, Johannesburg metro police spokesperson Inspector Edna Mamonyane said.
"As the metro police, we did not issue a permit for the march. The march is illegal."
Reservists from around the country gathered at Library Gardens in the CBD in the morning to voice their frustrations.
"We want unconditional integration into the police," said Free State spokesperson Dumisani Mvula.
"People see us in uniform and think all is well, while our lives are being frustrated by promise after promise that we will be integrated, and nothing has come forth."
He said the reservists wanted to be integrated unconditionally as some had over 18 years experience.
"The police have embarked on a recruitment drive for retired police officers, but could not consider us for recruitment. Surely retired members are older than us?"
The group handed a memorandum to Gauteng community safety MEC Khabisi Mosunkutu and to Madikizela-Mandela. In the document they claimed they had been working for years without pay, only to be overlooked when permanent vacancies became available.
Mvula later told reporters the reservists were singing peacefully in the morning when the police ordered them to disperse.
"Without provocation they opened fire on us, injuring some of our members and detaining them while they were still bleeding from the wounds," he claimed.
He said two trucks took their members to Johannesburg central police station.
By 4pm, a few hundred protesters were still milling around, waiting for their executive committee to inform them on the latest developments. - Sapa
The reservists failed to obey an instruction to disperse, Johannesburg metro police spokesperson Inspector Edna Mamonyane said.
"As the metro police, we did not issue a permit for the march. The march is illegal."
Reservists from around the country gathered at Library Gardens in the CBD in the morning to voice their frustrations.
"We want unconditional integration into the police," said Free State spokesperson Dumisani Mvula.
"People see us in uniform and think all is well, while our lives are being frustrated by promise after promise that we will be integrated, and nothing has come forth."
He said the reservists wanted to be integrated unconditionally as some had over 18 years experience.
"The police have embarked on a recruitment drive for retired police officers, but could not consider us for recruitment. Surely retired members are older than us?"
The group handed a memorandum to Gauteng community safety MEC Khabisi Mosunkutu and to Madikizela-Mandela. In the document they claimed they had been working for years without pay, only to be overlooked when permanent vacancies became available.
Mvula later told reporters the reservists were singing peacefully in the morning when the police ordered them to disperse.
"Without provocation they opened fire on us, injuring some of our members and detaining them while they were still bleeding from the wounds," he claimed.
He said two trucks took their members to Johannesburg central police station.
By 4pm, a few hundred protesters were still milling around, waiting for their executive committee to inform them on the latest developments. - Sapa
Johannesburg
