Africa-Press – South-Africa. The Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union (Popcru) has raised concerns about the number of police murders in South Africa.
According to the union, more than 30 police killings were reported between April 2021 and March 2022.
In an incident in Boksburg, Gauteng, on Thursday, two officers were disarmed and shot dead while responding to a complaint. According to police spokesperson Colonel Athlenda Mathe, the officers were responding to an “unnatural death” complaint. While waiting for a mortuary van at the crime scene, three men shot and disarmed them of their service pistols and bulletproof vests, before fleeing on foot, she said.
Popcru spokesperson Richard Mamabolo said police management’s failure to curb attacks has increased officers’ fears for their safety and security.
“It is a clear sign that these officers are being singled out as targets for attacks for their firearms, which are later utilised to perpetrate further criminal activities. Many members of the SAPS are justifiably angered by this trend wherein their colleagues continue to be killed and are specific targets of attack.
Mamabolo added:
He said there was an urgent need to examine the reason for the attacks and to ensure officers’ safety.
“No longer can members accept injury or death as merely a consequence or an acceptable risk in the normal execution of their daily work. Our men and women in blue are tasked daily to ensure all our citizens are safe in their homes, workplaces, places of worship and [places of] entertainment. No longer can we stand by and listen to long speeches during funerals and commemorations without any action being taken. Police officers too have a right to life,” he said.
Popcru called for the urgent review of service allowances for police officers.
According to Mamabolo, the allowance has been R400 since 2001.
“We have submitted a position paper at the Safety and Security Sectoral Bargaining Council (SSSBC), therein demanding the allowance to be increased to R1 500, which takes into consideration that, according to the SSSBC Agreement 4 of 2001, the initial allowance was supposed to have been increased yearly with the Consumer Price Index, including the cost of living adjustments and the frequency of the dangers these officers find themselves in,” he said.
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