The Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union (POPCRU) calls for the review of danger allowances for all public sector employees who continuously find themselves exposed to hazardous and life-threatening operational working conditions on a daily basis.

The current danger allowances within the criminal justice cluster, with police at R400, correctional officials at R477 and traffic officials at R439, these amounts are taxed and do not complement the nature and environment of their work and the extent to which they daily risk their lives.

We continuously witness the stabbings and deaths of correctional officials in the line of duty across our correctional centres. Not a month goes by without an altercation, and yet the Department of Correctional Services continues being indifferent about the causal factors, including overcrowding and understaffing.

Similarly, many of our police and traffic officials are brutally killed on a regular basis, leaving behind orphaned kids, widows and widowers, most of who now struggle to make ends meet.

Over and above increasing these allowances, we want see their maintenance, and an inclusion of a danger insurance which will in the long term ensure the indemnify individuals for covered losses.

The current danger allowances is far too small as compared to the far greater daily dangers associated with the work they do.

Further, the R250 000 death benefit given to deceased SAPS members’ families who died in the line of duty has been discretionary, and for those who got it, has not been able to sustain such families.

These matters are currently on the agenda of the PSCBC and engagements are ensuing.

Issued by POPCRU on 22/05/2019