Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union (Popcru) general-secretary Jeffrey Dladla stressed on Wednesday the union’s willingness to collaborate in the fight against crime amid high national crime rates.

He was addressing delegates at the three-day Policing Indaba, being held in Johannesburg, by Popcru.

He believes that Popcru is an important factor in thinking strategically about how to mobilise all possible skills, capacities and resources to fight against crime.

Dladla stressed that law enforcement agencies, including the State, were not able to fight the high levels of crime in the country alone.

He hopes that invited stakeholders will help in sharing Popcru’s key strategies in the fight against crime.

He added that the union was keen to build relations with civil society and the private sector in fighting crime, as it was a societal matter.

The key objectives of the Indaba include understanding the current measures identified in fighting crime, modernising tools and determining the root course of crime in the country. There is also a focus on understanding the impact of crime and determining long- and short-term goals to help improve service delivery in police stations.

Dladla said there should be a discussion on the rehabilitation and re-integration of offenders into society and on strategic thinking while incorporating best practices.

“Popcru, as a trade union, belongs to a class which is the working class. Capitalism is criminogenic and without defeating capitalism, it will be a pipe dream to fight crime,” he said.