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.
AFRIKAANS
TLU SA het vandag ‘n veldtog van stapel gestuur om die regering te dwing om gewelddadige en vernielsugtige protesaksies te bekamp.
In Suid-Afrika word betogings en protesaksies gekenmerk deur geweld, plundery en beskadiging. Vragmotors, voertuie en infrastruktuur soos geboue, skole, klinieke, besighede, tersiêre instellings en paaie loop daagliks deur onder ekonomiese terroriste.
“Dit is nie protesaksies of betogings nie, dit is eenvoudig gevalle van ekonomiese terreur,” sê mnr. Louis Meintjes, die president van TLU SA. “Hierdie doelbewuste voorvalle kos die Suid-Afrikaanse ekonomie jaarliks miljarde rande weens verlore inkomste, tyd en hulpbronne.
“Ons hoor daagliks by ons lede dat hulle verlof moes gebruik omdat hulle dorp brand en versper word,” sê hy. “Mense is bang hulle kinders is in gevaar want daar is oproerigheid naby die skool. Of hulle versekeringspremie styg omdat hulle eiendom beskadig is tydens onluste.”
Die aantal eise wat deur Sasria – die regering se korttermynversekeraar vir skade weens oproer en terreur – hanteer word, het in die 2018/19-boekjaar skerp toegeneem. Meer as 5 000 eise ter bedrae van R1,7 miljard is in die boekjaar by Sasria ingedien.
“Gedurende Februarie het ons amper 250 voorvalle van vernietigende onluste in die land gesien,” verduidelik mnr. Meintjes. “Dit kom neer op agt en ‘n half gevalle van gewelddadige plundering per dag. Wanneer gaan die regering begin om die ekonomie en inwoners te beskerm teen ekonomiese terroriste?”
TLU SA versoek Suid-Afrikaners wat keelvol is vir enige vorm van ekonomiese sabotasie tydens betogings om hierdie veldtog te ondersteun en die petisie te onderteken. Met die petisie ontvang TLU SA dan die mandaat om die regering aan te vat oor daadwerklike optrede teen en die herstel na voorvalle van ekonomiese terrorisme.
