Milly eludes riot, returned by street people |
By Andy Shlensky Stun grenades, rubber bullets and the police helicopter flying overhead during Tuesday's security guards' march muffled the cries of Rob Tennant's 11-year-old dog Milly as she was being threatened and chased by angry protesters. "They gave her a fright as they tried to hit her with their sticks and she took off up the road," said Tennant, who was trying to fend off looters from his stall at the Church Street Antique Market. Windows had been broken and shops looted all along the market. Tennant himself lost at least R3 500-worth of merchandise, but everyone was most upset about Milly going missing. "Everyone knows her because she's so friendly to everybody who walks by," Tennant said. "But to me, she's family." When Milly disappeared around noon, word spread quickly. "All afternoon people wanted to know if she had come back yet." Then she did. Street dwellers in the Company's Garden had been informed by Tennant, so when they found Milly wandering around just before 6pm, they knew where to take her. She was unharmed. "She's little and she's fast, and that must have kept her safe from their weapons," said Tennant, who was impressed by his dog's ability to navigate her way around the city in the chaos. "They came here with the intention of creating havoc," Tennant said. "If you come to protest, then protest, but when you bring sticks and bars, that's criminal intent." Tennant is calling for everyone who suffered damage on Tuesday to unite and claim from the South African Transport and Allied Workers' Union, which organised the march. © Cape Times 2006. All rights reserved. |