By CHRISTOPHER CLAREY
DURBAN, South Africa — A World Cup Sunday that began at the
soaring new arch of Durban Stadium ended in smoke and shrieks as police
officers fired tear gas and what witnesses said were rubber bullets to
break up a large group of protesting security guards.
[blogs.nytimes.com] The altercation started shortly before 1 a.m. Monday, a few hours
after the match between Germany and Australia ended. It began in the
parking area underneath the stadium, where some administrative offices
are located. It soon spilled into the streets outside as several hundred
panicked protesters sprinted away as about 40 police officers advanced
toward them on foot.
It was the first black mark during this World Cup, which has
generated positive energy and reviews since it began on Friday.
Several of the guards said they and their colleagues were upset at
being underpaid or, in some cases, not being paid for their work Sunday,
the first day of competition in Durban.
“They’re giving us 205 rand; we started at 12 noon and worked until
midnight, and they want to give us 205 rand,” said Sikhumbuzo Mnisi, a
44-year-old from Durban.
At current exchange rates, 205 rand is about $27. “Different things
have been said to people, but we were promised 1,500 rand per day,”
Mnisi said. “We started to protest because we wanted to negotiate.”
Mnisi said the crowd of workers became unruly and started throwing
things like plastic bottles.
At least two workers were injured during the altercation with the
police; the workers said they had been struck by rubber bullets.
Cynthia Bhengu had blood streaming down her face as she sat roadside
waiting for an ambulance at almost 2 a.m.
“The police shot my wife in the face,” said her husband, Falakhe
Bhengu, who said that he was a security supervisor.
“It was supposed to be 1,500 rand for supervisors and 1,000 for
everybody else, and they gave us 190,” he said of the security company.
“If you asked too many questions, they wanted to hit you.”
Nkosingiphine Maphumulo, a 23-year-old, said he had signed a
three-month contract but only worked three days so far and had yet to be
paid.
“Everyone was excited at first, but I think this World Cup is going
too far,” Maphumulo said. “We don’t even have a cent to pay our
expenses. We are losing money, because I paid for transport to get
here.”
Rich Mkhondo, head of communications for the local World Cup
organizing committee, said the protest did not have any impact on
security at the match or any spectators.
“Two hours after the end of the first match at the Durban Stadium
last night, there was an internal pay dispute between the principal
security company employed by the organizing committee and some of the
static security stewards employed by the company at the match,” Mkhondo
said in a statement e-mailed to The Associated Press. “Police were
called on to disperse the protesting stewards.
“This happened, however, long after all spectators had left the
stadium after the match, and the incident had no impact whatsoever on
the match day security operations.
“The organizing committee will engage with its stadium security
provider to avoid a repeat of the situation during the course of the
tournament.”
Source: http://goal.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/06/14/riot-police-end-workers-protest-at-durban-stadium/
