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Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union (POPCRU) President Zizamele Cebekhulu-Makhaza has expressed unhappiness over the three percent salary increase that government has imposed on public sector workers.

Addressing attendants at the recent Central Executive Committee (CEC) conference at the Birchwood Hotel, Cebekhulu-Makhaza stated that the union’s members have not received a salary increase for the past three financial years. He further emphasised that bargaining in South Africa cannot be forgotten and is essential for workers rights.

Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union (POPCRU) President Zizamele Cebekhulu-Makhaza has thanked international allies and members of the Central Executive Committee (CEC) from countries including Cuba, Zambia Swaziland, Lesotho, Botswana and Kenya for their support. Cebekhulu-Makhaza has been addressing union members at the recent CEC conference at the Birchwood Hotel, which comes as POPCRU celebrates its 33rd anniversary this year under the theme of “33 Years of Working-Class Consciousness Defending Workers’ Rights and Building A Self-Sustainable Union”. He stressed the need to cooperate with police and prison unions in the SADC regions to ensure international collaboration and that the solidarity agenda is addressed, to have sustainable strategies to effectively deal with hard-pressing issues such as climate change and the silencing of guns.

Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union (POPCRU) President Zizamele Cebekhulu-Makhaza says that POPCRU have a new agenda that seeks to go beyond bread-and-butter issues. While addressing members at the union’s recent Central Executive Committee (CEC) conference at the Birchwood Hotel, he emphasised that collaboration with social organisations is essential for unions. “Unions need to work with these movements in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region to better understand unemployment, inequality, climate change, corruption, and poverty in order to make a social impact,” he stressed to POPCRU members.

Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union (POPCRU) President Zizamele Cebekhulu-Makhaza states that South Africa needs to create capabilities to deal with issues like climate change which left the country wanting for a relevant solution. Addressing the union’s Central Executive Committee (CEC) conference at the Birchwood Hotel today, he warned that the country cannot have a repeat of last year’s devastating impact that the KwaZulu Natal floods had on the country. He said the Police should have resources and units relevant to the specific situations so that the country is never found wanting again.

“South Africa needs to create resources that avert disaster situations and better equip police officers and prison officials to effectively,” he said.

Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union (POPCRU) President Zizamele Cebekhulu-Makhaza stated that the police ministry needs to create relevant units to deal with disasters such as last year’s KwaZulu Natal floods.

“While East London and KZN employed private people, members of the Police, Defense Force and Correctional Service weren’t placed on the peripheral, yet they are critical resources for natural and other disasters,” he said.

Speaking on the third day of the Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union (POPCRU) Central Executive Committee (CEC) conference at the Birchwood Hotel, POPCRU President Zizamele Cebekhulu-Makhaza noted that he is fully behind the African Union flagship project Silencing The Guns for realising a conflict-free Africa.

“It is possible to have a continent that does not force regime change with violence and arms. That's a victory Lesotho has demonstrated,” he said, encouraging POPCRU members to include this goal as part of POPCRU’s international agenda.

Issued by The Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union