THE Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union (Popcru) has called for an urgent review and increase of service allowances for SAPS members, and the introduction of danger allowances for both public service and SAPS employees.
Popcru spokesperson Richard Mamabolo said officials within the criminal justice and health sectors are faced with unsavoury working conditions, which have further deteriorated by the global Covid-19 pandemic.
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‘They have also been burdened by the fight against the ever-increasing criminal activities within our country, and yet they are always the last to be considered when their needs have to be catered for, partly demonstrated by the employer’s continued attempts to renege on signed agreements.
‘Considering the dire conditions these officers find themselves in, their situation has worsened and it is for these reasons that their danger allowances should be reviewed,’ Mamabolo said.
He said SAPS allowances have been pegged at R400 since 2001.
‘We have submitted a position paper to the Safety and Security Sectoral Bargaining Council (SSSBC), demanding the allowances be increased to R1 500, which takes into consideration that according to the SSSBC Agreement 4 of 2001, the initial allowances were supposed to have been increased annually in line with the inflation rate. This includes cost of living adjustments and the frequency of the dangers these officers are confronted with,’ said Mamabolo.
‘The Public Service Coordinating Bargaining Council (PSCBC) Resolution 4 of 2015 states that danger allowances will increase every year in April.
While we note that Department of Correctional Service members are covered, we also want to see this process benefitting Public Service employees.
‘We also call for the implementation of danger insurance for all public servants. Death benefits of many officers have proven not to be sustainable in the long-term, leaving behind families unable to meet basic family needs,’ Mamabolo said.
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