Media Release 27th February 2011 POPCRU Special Extended National Executive Committee Outcomes! POPCRU, an Affiliate of COSATU and as the largest Trade Union in the Criminal Justice held an Extended National Executive Committee meeting on the 26 - 27th of February 2011 at OR Tambo. Protea Hotel in Kempton Park. The Extended NEC was attended by all National and the Office Provincial Bearers, to take forward the struggle to consolidate working class power agenda within the Criminal Justice.
We underscored the importance of ensuring that the Unity of the Working Class is consolidated in the current conjuncture, acknowledging the Jobs Campaign Agenda set by the government through the State of the Nation Address and the Budget Speech and enhancing acceleration on the achievement of the Government’s Five Priority Areas, amongst others, the fight against Crime and Corruption. Numerous issues were under discussion and key pronouncements relate to the following areas: Police Headquarters Saga We noted the release of the Report by the Public Protector on the current impasse over the South African Police Services Headquarters wherein some components were to be moved from Wachthuis to Middestad Sanlam Centre in Tshwane. We released a statement on the 20th February 2011 in a National Newspaper titled “Response to the Police Headquarters saga” wherein we were waiting curiously for the findings from the Office of the Public Protector. Our appeal was that this matter must not defocus the Department to achieve on the Delivery Agreement Outcome as signed by all Government Departments in general and within this sector as it relates to making South Africans feel safe and secure. After in depth deliberations by the Special Extended National Executive Committee Meeting, we came to the following considerations: ü That we welcome the Public Protector Report as released on the 22nd February 2011 by Advocate Thuli Madonsela which was mandated in terms of the provision of the Constitution of the country which empowers the Public Protector to investigate any conduct in state affairs or the public administration in any sphere of government, that is alleged or suspected to be improper or to result in any impropriety or prejudice, ü The procurement of securing office space should be kept at national level for control purpose and proper accounting of the tax payer’s monies. ü Our members are currently still cramped behind files in Wachthuis where it is so difficult for them to execute their duties due to the increasing establishment and the building is dilapidated. ü There has been an outcry and resistance from some for the offices to be moved where the need arose. There has been an outcry on the call for the provincial office of North West to move from Potchefstroom to Mafikeng, the provincial office of Eastern Cape to move from Port Elizabeth to Bisho, provincial office of Mpumalanga from Middelburg to Nelspruit. ü That the matter should be handled by respecting the principle of natural justice which says “no person is guilty until it is proven otherwise by a court of law. ü We will be meeting the Minister of South African Police Service to further engage on this matter. Unlawful acts DCS Labour Court Cases We have noted the intransigence attitude in particular and generally negative developments within the Department of Correctional Services in relation with the handling of the Shift System imposed to our membership. Our membership has been receiving unpalatable letters from the Employer titled “Disruption of Work” and “Contemplated Suspension” in relation to this matter in particular from the Regional Commissioner in Kwazulu-Natal. We challenged the matter at the level of the Labour Court to urgent force the employer to stop the shenanigans and adhere to the provisions of PSSBC Resolution No 1 of 2007 signed in relation Seven-Day Establishment. The Interim Labour Court Order was secured on the 11th February 2011: [a] To interdict and restrain all officials lower in rank from implementing any shift system in the Department or any part thereof [including all Management Areas, Correctional Centres, Correctional Facilities, Divisions or Offices] in terms of which the work hours of centre-based correctional officials are changed; [b] Restraining the National Commissioner as the respondent from making or continuing with disciplinary proceedings against any centre-based correctional officials, who failed and or refused to perform work in accordance with the shift system implemented by any official of a lower rank other than the National Commissioner and lastly [c]Interdicting the National Commissioner from making or continuing to make deductions in respect of unpaid leave, from the salaries of officials, who failed and/or refused to perform work in accordance with a shift system implemented by any official of a lower rank other than the National Commissioner. However, in many institutions such imperatives were not adhered to by the Employer. And we are outlining the following Action Plans: ü We intensify our programme in KwaZulu Natal which will culminate into the national march. That Institutional lunch pickets must be held across Provinces to send a strong message on our dissatisfaction with DCS; ü That the Minister of Correctional Services must intervene as we have lost confidence in the National Commissioner on the handling of the shift system, ü That the Respondents in the recent Court Order must be arrested for contempt of the Court Order, and ü That the Regional Commissioner of Kwazulu-Natal must be removed as he has brought the Department into disrepute by imposing the shift system and defiance of a Court Order. On Budget Speech by Minister of Finance POPCRU welcomes the thrust of the budget speech as delivered that made an emphasis on building what the President of the country on creation of decent jobs across all government departments and the private sector. The dignity of our masses can no longer be postponed through economic freedom and humanization. The substantial budget allocations for the Department of Correctional Services, the South African Police System and the Ministry of Transport must be acknowledged. We further reiterate that the achievement of Government Delivery Agreements Outcomes must be fully achieved by all government departments in general with specific emphasis with departments within the Criminal Justice. Coming Local Government Elections We reiterate our total support for peaceful, free and fair local government elections and recommit ourselves to realize the ANC-led local government victory. And we acknowledge the achievement we recently registered on allowing our members as police officers to qualify for special votes as many are deployed across the country to maintain peace and stability. Coming Local POPCRU Congresses and Appraisal on the National Congress We will be convening Local Congresses from the 01-11 March 2011 in accordance with the Constitutional provisions enshrined in POPCRU’s Constitution as amended in 2007 National Congress, Chapter 12, Section 18, Subsection 18.3, to renew the mandate of the Local structures to entrench the principle of Worker Control at all institutions were are organizing. POPCRU will be convening its 7th National Congress in Bloemfontein, Free State on the 20-23rd June 2011 and preparations are underway to consolidate the Working Class Power within the Criminal Justice premised on respect for our Trade Union principles of Worker Control and Worker Democracy. AllianceSummit Reflections We welcome the outcomes of the extensive deliberations after the sitting of the Alliance Summit as held on the 24-25th February 2011 at St Georges Hotel, Tshwane. We reiterate our support for a commitment in the tackling of challenges of unemployment, poverty and inequalities in our society. There is consensus that the National Democratic Revolution [NDR] is our key strategic programme as long as the struggle to liberate the black people in general and African people in particular has not been fully achieved. And we must continue to play our revolutionary to achieve the fundamental objective of the NDR is to create a united, democratic, non-racial, non-sexist, democratic and prosperous South Africa. International Solidarity We have noted the revolution underway in North Africa and the Middle East in relation to toppling of Dictators, who have ruled for more than three decades without meaningful changes in the lives of the masses. We are content that the burning issues of unemployment, poverty, under-development and elitist corruption. We reiterate our commitment finalize preparations to host an Internal Labour Relations Symposium in Malawi later this year to enhance unionization in Southern Africa Development Community [SADC]. We offer our solidarity support with workers in Egypt, Libya, Ivory Coast, Tunisia and other parts of the world. And we welcome the United Nations Security Council resolution on referring the matter of Libya to the International Criminal Court on a case of violation of human rights against civilians. For more information contact: POPCRU General Secretary-Cde Nkosinathi Theledi 0825677803 Issued by: Mampane Norman National Spokesperson Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union Tel: 0112424600/4615 Cell: 0720737959 Email: [email protected] www.popcru.org.za 01 Marie Road AucklandPark 2006 -- You are subscribed. This footer can help you. 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