SAPS members march for promotions
HUNDREDS of disgruntled SAPS members from Western Cape police clusters took to the streets to highlight their frustration at being “overlooked for promotions”.
Many who joined the march, led by the newly-formed South African Police and Allied Workers Union (Sapawu) to Parliament, had put in sick leave notes to explain their absence.
The union said it resorted to the demonstration as they had repeatedly written to Police Minister Bheki Cele’s office, to no avail.
Demands include addressing a backlog of overdue promotions.
A sergeant under the Cape Town cluster who spoke on condition of anonymity said they had been serving and risking their lives for 15 years and more, to witness people straight out of police colleges getting promotions.
“We are told to be patient and wait for three years; keep in mind we have degrees and diplomas. Seeing police members who only have two years experience and six months experience all ranked from constable to warrant officers because they have the so-called scarce skills is discouraging,” she said.
Sapawu national treasurer Mphangeli Jingqi said similar marches were also under way in KwaZulu-Natal, the Eastern Cape and Gauteng.
Police had not responded with comment by the time of publication.