Angry police officers have threatened to go on strike over a contentious promotions agreement, which could hamper the police’s festive-season crime crackdown.
This is despite being categorised as essential services staff who are barred from withdrawing their labour
Police anger stems from accusations that Police Minister Bheki Cele reneged on his promise made at a media briefing in March to, within three months, fix the promotions issue, after only 32000 members were promoted, while 45000 others remain in limbo.
Allegations are that these promotions were created to only benefit specialised and elite units – including the tactical response team, commonly known as Amaberete – at the expense of rank-and-file, visible and station officers, as well as detectives, among other members.
An agreement signed in December last year by the SA Police Service and the Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union (Popcru) detailed a three-year programme to re-grade and promo
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