Striking workers and IMCers were arrested over the last two days amidst an increasing crackdown on local and international activists in South Africa. 18 are still unlawfully detained, including Anti-Eviction Campaign organiser Max Ntanyana and a filmmaker from IMC Italy.

CAPE TOWN, SUNDAY 8 SEPT – The 30 striking workers of the Suez water plant in Cape Town were all arrested yesterday. 17 of them will pass a second night in jail before appearing in court tomorrow morning. The police presence at the strike is questionnable inlight of the fact that none of the workers have been formely charged.

IMC Italy, New York filmmakers were finally arrested and put in jail today. The only filmmaker who was kept in prison tonight was the one who was driving the car which made the getaway yesterday. This was after Suez management locked the filmmakers inside unlawfully. The IMC media activists have layed a charge of kidnapping against the police and the management.

Anti-Eviction Campaign were concerned this morning that Max Ntanyana, WSSA union orgasniser and Mandela Park AEC activist, would still be kept in jail. The police are now trying to use an interdict that was ruled against him two months ago – at the request of the five banks owning the now-privatised housing programme in Cape Town – to prevent Max and others to organise the Anti-Eviction Campaign in Mandela Park. The fact that the current water strike is a completely different issue suggests that the continued detention of Max is an attempt to marginalise this brilliant organiser of the poors – both workers and unemployed – in Cape Town.

This once again shows that South Africa is in the grip of control by multinational companies and powerful interests and that the constitution means nothing. These acts come within six months of police repression in which the government, the police and the corporate sector have worked together in insurring that dissent is contained.