The unprotected strike by Pikitup employees in Johannesburg took a nasty turn on Tuesday, when four members of the Red Ants crew were shot at point-blank range.

Three of the members, who have been contracted to clean up the Central Business District (CBD), were in intensive care at an undisclosed hospital on Tuesday night, after the shooting in Klein Street near the Wanderers taxi rank.

The fourth man, who managed to overpower the gunman, sustained minor injuries.

But Red Ants owner Johan Bosch said they would not be deterred by the shootings and would continue assisting Pikitup to clean up the inner city. Instead, he said they had increased the security around their crew contracted to clean Joburg’s streets.

Caught off guard

Three members of the Red Ants were busy with the clean-up on Tuesday when they were surrounded by several people. One opened fire, hitting three Red Ants personnel in the chest, inflicting critical injuries on them.

He continued firing his gun and a fourth staff member was injured in the shoulder as he disarmed and overpowered the shooter, taking possession of the gun as he kept firing.

Bosch said the Red Ants cleaning crew were taken off guard. “We have guards protecting the cleaners, but they were taken by surprise. A group of men approached and one suddenly pulled out a gun and started shooting at the workers at close range.

“We are prepared to bring in an additional 5 000 members if necessary to protect our cleaning crews if we have to. We will not be intimidated.”

South African Municipal Workers Union (Samwu) national spokesman Papikie Mohale denied it was their members who had committed the crime. “They are cleaners, who do not carry guns – it is the Joburg metro police officers who have guns – not us. We deny they did any shooting,” he said.

Pikitup spokesman Jacky Mashapu could not be reached for comment last night.

–IOL (Anna Cox and Kgopi Mabotja)