President of the Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union (Popcru), Zizamele Cebekhulu, has urged President Cyril Ramaphosa to address the plight of the police, and prison and traffic officers.
He warned that if left unmanaged, due to the current economic climate and ongoing obstacles in the criminal justice system, the country was at risk of losing the fight against crime.
“Yes, they are dedicated civil servants, but let it be known, without reservation, these men and women are first and foremost citizens of this nation. They look to you, Mr President, for resolute answers to the formidable issues that weigh heavily on their shoulders,” Cebekhulu said.
Cebekhulu, speaking at the union’s 10th National Congress which kicked off on Monday at the Durban ICC, said that austerity cuts were crippling the country and stagnating the economy.
“Workers are demanding that government do more to end the current levels of load-shedding, cable theft, crime and corruption, and wasteful expenditure. They have sent a clear message that austerity cuts are crippling the state, suffocating the economy, and further plunging workers into high levels of indebtedness and misery.”
He said workers were struggling with rising food and petrol prices and their plight could not be ignored.
“The working class can no longer afford to bear the burden of rising levels of inflation, electricity tariff hikes, and relentless and reckless increases in interest rates.
“Workers are losing hope and patience. Government must deal with rising levels of frustration, despair, anger, poverty, indebtedness, unemployment, crime and corruption with urgency.”
The Mercury