Police, prison officials demand 10% salary increase

Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union (Popcru) members turned Pretoria red yesterday as they made their way to the Union Buildings to ask for better pay and sufficient resources. 

“One day there won't be traffic officers on the roads and there won't be police at police stations and warders in prison,” threatened Popcru general secretary Jeff Dlala as he handed over their memorandum to police minister Bheki Cele and justice and correctional services minister Ronald Lamola. 

Popcru was joined by Cosatu, Sanco and SACP members.

Cosatu president Zingiswa Losi said the 3% increase the government was offering to workers equated to R450 per month. She said the 10% that workers want was the equivalent of between R1,400 and R1,500.

Losi said it wasn't fair that police salaries were stagnant while violence and crime was increasing. 

“The population continues to grow while the [numbers of ] public servants continue to shrink, those that have retired or died in service are not being replaced,” she said.

“Government should employ more police officials, wardens and traffic police officials,” she said.

Nature Ndubani from the Rustenburg correctional services management area told Sowetan that warders are dying at the hands of prisoners.

Popcru president, Zizamele Cebekhulu, said they want salaries that are equal to inflation.

“The government offered us 3% in a public service that didn't get an increment for the past three financial years,” he said.

“We are not getting paid but getting a stipend,” he said.

He said their members want new uniforms.

He also said police stations are under-resourced, with some running without electricity,

Lamola said the memorandum will be taken to the bargaining council.

The government has 21 days to respond to the memorandum.