Talk to Mthethwa or lose votes: Popcru
|Published
06/12/2012. Minister of Police, Nathi Mthethwa addresses the media with the National Police Commissioner Riah Phiyega at the Shareton Hotel, Pretoria. Picture: Oupa Mokoena 06/12/2012. Minister of Police, Nathi Mthethwa addresses the media with the National Police Commissioner Riah Phiyega at the Shareton Hotel, Pretoria. Picture: Oupa Mokoena
Bloemfontein - A protesting police union member in the Free State on Wednesday urged President Jacob Zuma to talk to his police minister or lose votes in 2014.
“Zuma, if you do not talk to (Nathi) Mthethwa you are going to lose votes come 2014,” read the placard a protester in Bloemfontein held aloft.
A large group of Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union (Popcru) members marched to the provincial police headquarters in Maitland Street in Bloemfontein to protest over pay grades for adminstrative staff.
Popcru branches from Bloemfontein, Dihlabeng (Bethlehem), and Matjhabeng (Welkom) took part in the march, which disrupted traffic in the city's central business district.
Although traffic officials and police in riot gear cordoned off an entire block of Maitland Street, the street was quiet, other than the group of protesters in front of one building.
Flashing blue lights from traffic and police vehicles accompanied the group, mostly dressed in white Popcru T-shirts, into the CBD.
Free State Popcru secretary Lawrence Msinto told provincial commissioner Lt-Gen Khehla Sitole that members were frustrated with his office.
At one stage he assured Sitole that police in uniform had marched with them and behaved in a disciplined manner.
“They are here with us,” he joked, to cheers from the crowd.
Popcru is demanding that SAPS honour an agreement to change their salary grades, and separate career planning for operational and administration staff.
“Away with apartheid salary structures,” placards read.
One protester missed his former national police commissioner, holding up a placard reading “Bheki Cele we wish u come back”.
Popcru members also marched in other parts of South Africa. - Sapa