LISTEN | Police, prison officials demand 10% salary increase

Demands for an increase commensurate with the rising cost of living and interventions to address the safety of law enforcement officials prompted a march on the Union Buildings on Tuesday by the Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union (Popcru).

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Popcru members have rejected the government's 3% wage increase offer, saying they want a 10% hike backdated to April 2021.

The union, representing police, correctional services officials and traffic officers says the government should honour the last leg of the three-year wage agreement signed in 2018. The government was allowed to exit the final year of the three-year deal after proving its need to rein in bloated salary costs.

They are also calling for increases in their danger and clothing allowances, as well as the R250,000 death grant awarded to families of police officers who are killed. 

Tshwane metro police are monitoring the march. 

A police officer — who asked to be identified only as Godfrey, for fear of repercussions — said the 3% increase offer was too little given the state of the economy.

With 33 police officers killed in the last financial year, Godfrey, who had travelled from Limpopo, also endorsed the calls for a higher death grant.

“They must increase the money given when a member has been killed. Life is expensive [for their families]. If they don't meet our demands, we will take it further — even to the point of downing tools,” he said.

Business Day reports that if public service unions formally reject the government’s wage hike offer of 3% — and a R1,000 after-tax cash gratuity payable to all public servants until March 2023 — they would need to declare a dispute. This would unlock a conciliation process within the public service co-ordinating bargaining council.

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