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SAPU CONDEMNS RECKLESS POLMED
Drickus Maartens • July 1, 2021
SAPU CONDEMNS RECKLESS POLMED
The South African Policing Union has noted with dismay the reckless action by the police medical aid-POLMED which has spent thousands of rands placing adverts in national Sunday newspapers about the election of a board of trustees. We would like to condemn this behaviour by POLMED which is clearly undermining President Cyril Ramaphosa who has ordered the cancellation of any public gathering of over 100 people. It is a well-known fact that process would involve certainly over 100 people.
This reckless behaviour by POLMED to undermine the President vindicates what SAPU has been stating for some time. The current board of trustees and management of POLMED has gone rogue. We had challenged the Council for Medical Schemes to place POLMED under curatorship because of the instability, incapable leadership and other shenanigans that compromise the smooth running of the police medical aid scheme.
SAPU would like to call upon Lieutenant- General Bonang Mgwenya to take drastic measures to ensure that the reckless action by POLMED are immediately reversed. There could be no election of a board of trustees under these trying circumstances that our country and the whole world are faced with. POLMED as a defined benefit falls directly under the SAPS Human Resources Department that General Mgwenya is responsible for.
It is POLMED’s sole responsibility to ensure that the medical issues of all members are taken care of including the Coronavirus. The state of POLMED is in paralysis whilst SAPS management is doing nothing. Our members continue to face frustration and humiliation at the conduct of POLMED.
SAPU is of the view that POLMED and Government Employees Medical Scheme (GEMS) should provide members with the necessary resources to fight the Coronavirus including Vitamin C supplements, Sanitisers, Masks, Gloves etc. We are calling on these Medical Aid Schemes to provide our members with the necessary immune boosters. These are desperate times that need desperate measures. SAPU is calling on POLMED and GEMS to come out like other Medical Aid Schemes and state what are their plans for members during these trying times.
We are calling upon POLMED to withdraw the newspaper adverts that they placed on national Sunday newspapers and suspend the process for the election of a new board of trustees. This process should be put on hold until the Coronavirus challenge has been dealt with fully. Secondly we would like an extremely independent body take over the process of nomination, selection and election. The process as it stands is compromised in all levels.
SAPU would also like to call all POLMED members irrespective of their union affiliation to rise up against the reckless POLMED management. This management has placed their medical aid in an untenable position that has compromised their benefits. Each and every day, police officers continue to be turned away from medical centres because of the unreliability of POLMED. We are calling on all members to work with us in fighting for a better and efficient POLMED.
We find it totally unacceptable that to POLMED it is business as usual. There can be no normal situation in POLMED under an abnormal management. SAPU is calling upon General Mgwenya to act with speed in normalising the situation at POLMED. As SAPU we are prepared to take any legal steps in fighting for justice at POLMED. We will not allow POLMED to be captured for selfish interests that do not benefit members.
We are extremely concerned that POLMED would use thousands of rands placing adverts in national Sunday newspapers that only a few of its members could afford to buy such newspapers. It seems as if even that exercise was not done genuinely to reach as many members as practically possible. The management continue to misuse hard earned funds in a fruitless exercise.
Issued by: Tumelo Mogodiseng
General Secretary
2024
SAPU WELCOMES THE ESTABLISHMENT AND THE LAUNCH OF BORDER MANAGEMENT AUTHORITY
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SAPU IS CALLING FOR THE RE-ESTABLISHMENT OF THE SPECIALISED UNITS IN SAPS
South African Policing Union (SAPU) in the Eastern Cape has noted with grave concern the increase in mass murders taking place in our province. This weekend several people were killed at a private birthday party in Nomjila Street, Kwazakhele. This is the third incident of mass killings in the last two weeks. SAPU calls for the establishment of specialised units, specifically Murder and Robbery units which must focus on the mass killings which leave many families stricken with grief. These families have a right to have these killings speedily investigated and that the perpetrators are arrested and charged. Since 2020 South African Policing Union (SAPU) has called on the SAPS management to re-establish all specialized units which were closed in 2008. The closure of these units has hindered investigations and has demoralized dedicated and committed police officers. Murder and robbery as well as serious and violent crime units were among those units closed, thus the rise in those crimes. The recent establishment of police teams to deal with specific types of crimes has vindicated SAPU’s call for specialized units to be brought back. The implications of these high crime levels and the increases are enormous, and they need to be addressed, we can’t wait we need to do this now. Issued by: SAPU Eastern Cape Contact: Leon Naude Provincial Secretary
South African Policing Union (SAPU) in the Eastern Cape has noted with grave concern the increase in mass murders taking place in our province. This weekend several people were killed at a private birthday party in Nomjila Street, Kwazakhele. This is the third incident of mass killings in the last two weeks. SAPU calls for the establishment of specialised units, specifically Murder and Robbery units which must focus on the mass killings which leave many families stricken with grief. These families have a right to have these killings speedily investigated and that the perpetrators are arrested and charged. Since 2020 South African Policing Union (SAPU) has called on the SAPS management to re-establish all specialized units which were closed in 2008. The closure of these units has hindered investigations and has demoralized dedicated and committed police officers. Murder and robbery as well as serious and violent crime units were among those units closed, thus the rise in those crimes. The recent establishment of police teams to deal with specific types of crimes has vindicated SAPU’s call for specialized units to be brought back. The implications of these high crime levels and the increases are enormous, and they need to be addressed, we can’t wait we need to do this now. Issued by: SAPU Eastern Cape Contact: Leon Naude Provincial Secretary
The South African Policing Union in the Northern Cape is concerned about SAPS electing to collaborate with some but not all community members across all demographics in the Province to fight crime and social injustice.