THE Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union (POPCRU) says it is concerned about the emerging trend of police killings that has taken the lives of more than five police officers this month alone.
This comes after the most recent killing last week in Phoenix, where Captain BJ Simelane, Communication Officer for Point SAPS, was shot and killed at a bus stop, a few metres away from his home. Simelane was on his way to work.
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Popcru Communications Officer, Richard Mamabolo said there has been a battle for the soul of the security industry over the past two years, where more than 80 police officers have lost their lives while on duty.
“This has created doubt and fear amongst communities and intentionally played out to the benefit of the private security industry as promoted by the right-wing grouping Afri-Forum and the SAPS-funded Institute for Security Studies (ISS).”
“We reiterate our call to all police officers that they can no longer die with their firearms in their hands. Any would-be criminal that lifts a gun at a police officer must be countered with decisiveness. We have grown tired of having many widowed wives and orphaned children within the police service,” he said.
“Further, the R250k pension that goes to the children and families of the deceased officers has shown not to be sufficient in taking them through schooling. It is a point which needs further observation,” added Mamabolo.
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Mamabolo was speaking at the Unions National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting at its headquarters in Auckland Park, which started on Tuesday and ends today.
Among other issues discussed by the NEC was the political overview delivered by the presidency, focused on the defining challenges and opportunities modelled by the socio-economic and political dynamics currently underway in the country, and the role people need to play within this context.
