SAPU WELCOMES SAFETY & SECURITY CLUSTER MINISTERS

The South African Policing Union (SAPU) would like to join the South African

citizenry in welcoming the long awaited cabinet announcement made by

President Cyril Ramaphosa. We are particularly pleased by the appointment of

Senzo Mchunu as the new Police Minister, Dr Pieter Groenewald as the new

Minister of Correctional Services, Ms Barbara Creecy as the new Minister of

Transport and the newly appointed Public Service and Administration Minister

Inkosi Mzamo Buthelezi. In welcoming Minister Mchunu into the Police Ministry,

SAPU commends the President for retaining Deputy Minister Cassel Mathale as

institutional memory is of paramount importance in terms of taking the Ministry

forward.

The appointment of a second Deputy Minister Polly Boshielo is a positive step in

terms of sharng responsibilities as this Ministry is huge. We believe this step will

strengthen and power the police Ministry and therefore improve service delivery.

We have worked will with Minister Mchunu since his days as the then Public

Service and Administration Minister. His consultative leadership style has been a

contributing factor in the relations he had with organized labour. Our inter-action

with him in the Public Service Co-ordinating Bargaining Council (PSCBC) showed

us he is a man of integrity.

SAPU calls upon Minister Mchunu to walk in his lane and not interfere with

operational business of the police as that responsibility constitutionally lies with

the national police commissioner. We do not want a police Minister who behaves

like he or she is the national commissioner.

It the spirit of mutual respect and recognition that Minister Mchunu had whilst in

the DPSA that SAPU calls upon the incoming Minister Inkosi Buthelezi to take.

We expect no favours from Minister Buthelezi except the recognition of organized

labour as important stakeholders. We call upon Minister Buthelezi to revive the

strained relations we are having with the employer as workers we are still nursing

the hurt of seeing the gains of the past like collective bargaining being

undermined by the previous administration.

Dr. Groenewald is not completely new in the security sector as he once a

member of the Police portfolio committee. We would like to give him an

opportunity to provide leadership to the department of Correctional Service

(DCS). The multiple challenges within the DCS are not only over-crowding that

need his urgent attention, we have a department that is over worked. The ratio of

Correctional Officers per prisoner is way above the acceptable international

standard and that compromises service delivery.



In welcoming Minister Creecy to the Ministry of Transport SAPU is of the view

that she will amongst her priorities speed up the process of integrating and

unification of the various Traffic departments across the country. South Africa is a

unitary, the lack of uniformity in the Traffic sector is counter-productive.

We have also noted the appointment of Dr. Leon Schreiber as the new Minister of

Home Affairs that incorporates the Border Management Authority. We are

optimistic Dr. Schreiber will respect and acknowledge the role of organized labour

within the department of Home Affairs. We would also like to welcome Ms

Nomakhosazana Meth as the newly appointed Minister of Employment and

Labour. Thousands of security officers across the country are looking forward to

her changing their working conditions. These security officers are exploited,

abused by selfish security companies.

These security officers play a vital role in assisting the police, it is unfortunate that

30 years since the dawn of democracy they have not enjoyed the fruits of

freedom.

In welcoming the new political leadership SAPU calls upon these Ministers and

Deputy Ministers to hit the ground running. The time of celebrations has long

passed both the members and the communities are expecting nothing less but

the job to be done as a matter of extreme urgency. We welcome them with no

reservations at all. This is a new beginning; let us all join hands as communities

are keenly waiting for improved service delivery.