The National Union of Metal Workers (Numsa) and its members have been ordered by the Labour Court to stop acts of violence, intimidation and lawlessness targeted at non-striking workers at Ngqura Container Terminal.

Making the order on Friday 6 June, Labour Court Judge Tlhotlhalimaje ruled in favour of Transnet and its employees and ordered Numsa and its striking members at the Ngqura Container Terminal to stop:

•             Intimidating, assaulting or threatening to assault people working at the Ngqura Container Terminal, and their families;

•             Causing damage to property ,vehicles or buildings of Transnet and its employees;

•             Inciting, encouraging or intimidating any person to commit an act of violence against Transnet, its employees, their families and properties.

In addition the judge ordered Numsa to inform its striking members that their conduct is unlawful and that they should stop the acts of violence.

Transnet sought to interdict Numsa in line with its commitment to protect its workers and their families after a night of violence in which homes belonging to non-striking workers were petrol-bombed, while two vehicles, also belonging to non-striking workers, were torched in 10 coordinated violent attacks on Friday morning.

Two more houses belonging to non-striking workers were stoned in the early hours of Saturday, 07 June 2014, despite the interdict.

The latest incidents take the number of such attacks to 30 since the union, which represents a minority of Transnet’s over 60 000 workers, vowed to intensify its action against the company three days ago. The majority of our colleagues do not belong to Numsa.