Firefighter Wanted To Kill His Boss – Union
The fireman who shot dead his acting station commander did so intentionally, the South African Municipal Workers Union (Samwu) said on Thursday.
Workplace Violence
Conflict is a natural part of human interaction. While most conflict will be resolved by the parties involved, or defuse naturally, some conflict can lead to long-term psychological and physical harm, to those directly and indirectly involved.
What is workplace violence?
Workplace and campus/school violence is any act in which a person is abused, threatened, intimidated or assaulted in his or her employment or place of study.
Threatening behaviour
Such as shaking fists, destroying property or throwing objects.
Verbal or written threats
Any threat to inflict harm regardless of whether there is intent to commit a violent act.
Harassment
Any behaviour that demeans, embarrasses, humiliates, annoys, alarms or verbally abuses a person and that is known or would be expected to be unwelcome. This includes words, gestures, intimidation, bullying, or other inappropriate activities. This includes inappropriate sexual verbalisations, emails, text messages and the like.
Verbal abuse
Swearing, insults or condescending language.
Physical attacks
Hitting, shoving, pushing or kicking.
Case Studies
South African examples of workplace violence.
Centurion lawyer’s office shooting
Martin van Deventer, 64, is understood to have flown up from Cape Town this morning to meet the three men about a money matter, together with his lawyer and theirs, at an office in Centurion, south of the capital Pretoria.
