POPCRU deplores the ill-treatment of Police Recruits at Training Institutions

We have noted the unfortunate allegations of ill-treatment of police recruits at  Kwazulu-Natal. The apartheid belief system was premised on a military-style of management that resided in "command and control" and such actions must be condemned in the current conjuncture. And the Minister of the occasion of the National Police Day reiterated that the four C's-Command, Control, Communication and Coordination must be realized in the fightb against crime and corruption.

The Minister argued that these instruments will amongst others, be used to enforce effective functionality of the South African Police Services.

The COSATU Growth Path illustrated that we need to enhance "the whole Criminal Justice culture, methodology and content on training and move away from a militaristic and authoritarian behaviour towards a more socially-oriented approach".

As POPCRU we condemn such unethical behaviour and apartheid-style training methods that still believe that instilling pain in the men and women in blue is a ticket to eradicate crime when they are deployed in all institutions and we argue that it ploughs "revenge mentality" which erodes respect for human rights.

And we reiterate our total rejection of violation of the human rights and also labour rights of these recruits by inflicting pain on them. "Skop and donder" attitude has no room in the modern democracy.

Statement issued by POPCRU General Secretary-Cde Nkosinathi Theledi, February 3 2011

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