The police claim that a Oshakati Shoprite protest at which rubber bullets were fired and workers and Affirmative Repositioning activists were assaulted was illegal.

The employees were protesting for better salaries.

According to police national spokesperson deputy commissioner Kauna Shikwambi, the Namibia Food and Allied Workers Union [Nafau], the union that represents striking Shoprite, Checkers and U-Save workers, was only permitted to strike on Thursday, 14 January. She added that during that period, all Namibians were urged to desist from conducting unlawful acts and follow the lawful procedures in expressing grievances.

According to Shikwambi, Thursday demonstrations were indeed peaceful and nothing untoward was reported. However, there were a few police interventions at Keetmanshoop and Tsumeb, she said.

On Friday, Shikwambi said, at about 13h00 at Shoprite Oshakati's Yetu complex, a group of striking Shoprite employees, union officials and Affirmative Repositioning members marched towards the Shoprite entrance vowing to close down the business. "Police officers who were on duty to maintain law and order at the Shoprite entrance managed to block them. A certain Mr Leonard Indongo (AR strike sympathiser) was taken to Oshakati Police Station because he was allegedly observed instigating picketers through a megaphone to close down the business," she said.

She said when Indongo was removed, some striking employees marched from Yetu complex to Oshakati Police Station demanding his release.

"However, the AR activists' attempt to have him released failed and they returned to Shoprite. Mr Indongo was released later," she said. "At around 17h20, the number of striking Shoprite employees, Nafau and strike sympathisers (AR) increased, as more people were being transported from Ondangwa and Ongwediva, marching and chanting at the entrance of Shoprite and demanding its closure."

The growing crowd overwhelmed the officers on duty, who had to call for reinforcements, she said. The police's Special Reserve Force Sub-Division was then dispatched to the scene to intervene. On arrival, they allegedly found AR's Dimbulukeni Nauyoma and Paulus Paulus leading the group of striking Shoprite employees and union officials. The Special Reserve Force allegedly stopped them and moved them back.

"But in the process, the striking employees started throwing stones at them. This prompted the Special Reserve Force to disperse the striking employees using non-lethal equipment. Ultimately, the crowd was dispersed and order restored.

"One Special Reserve Force member was hit and injured with a stone in the right thigh and a criminal case was registered. Equally, one of the striking employees allegedly working at Ongwediva Shoprite was also injured on the head and arm and he was admitted at Oshakati Intermediate Hospital in a stable condition," she said.

Shikwambi further stated that by Saturday, no case was opened by any of the striking Shoprite employees, Nafau and strike sympathisers. She also said a police form (J88) seen in circulation on social media bearing the name of Nauyoma is being pursued, so is a receipt of N$129.80 in circulation alleged to be a receipt of food that was bought for the police officers.

AR spokesperson Simon Amunime refused to comment on the matter. He referred The Namibian to Nauyoma, who also did not comment.

Copyright The Namibian. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com)., source News Service English