Popcru pickets‚ citing safety issues at Correctional Services head office

Members of the Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union (Popcru) picketed at the head office of Correctional Services in Pretoria on Monday‚ citing concerns over the safety of the building.

Popcru spokesperson Richard Mamabolo said‚ “Our members are protesting over the ignorance of management over safety issues in the building. They are forcing our members to work in those conditions.”

He said their members had received a letter from management in which they were warned that they could be fired for not going to work.

“Management claims our members are engaging in an illegal strike. We don’t think it’s an illegal strike. It’s their [the workers’] rights to work under safe conditions‚” said Mamabolo.

He said their members were prepared to work but not inside the building.

“They will not go inside the building until all the safety issues have been resolved‚” he said.

He said only one of nine elevators is working in the building. “The building has electrical defaults. The chief fire officer has not issued a certificate declaring the building safe.”

Correctional Services spokesperson Singabakho Nxumalo said that Tshwane Emergency Services had rescinded a prohibition notice issued two weeks ago and declared the building to be safe.

“The City of Tshwane conducted an inspection on September 16 on the requirements as agreed to during the on-site meeting on September 13‚ and was subsequently satisfied that critical requirements were implemented as agreed to. The Department of Correctional Services was then instructed to go back in the building‚” said Nxumalo.

“More than 1‚400 … officials are back in the building and the department will continue to engage with the few officials currently camping outside the building to go back to their desks.”