The Gauteng provincial congress of Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union (Popcru) has elected leaders following its two-day elective conference held at the Birchwood Hotel on Thursday and Friday.
Tinti Lusenga returned as the Gauteng provincial chairperson and has been tasked with leading the union’s plans for Gauteng alongside deputy chairperson Mavela Mathe, secretary Lerata Motsiri, deputy secretary Nomthandazo Makaya, and treasurer Rashi Mankoe.
Popcru president Thulani Ngwenya welcomed the union’s new provincial leaders saying the team has a difficult task ahead as they seek to implement the resolutions tabled at the congress.
“Gauteng has become a hotbed for crime, as crime statistics consistently show growing lawlessness in the province. However, Lusenga and the rest of the Gauteng provincial leadership have all proven themselves equal to the task.
“We as national office bearers, on behalf of the National Executive Committee, welcome the leadership as decided by the 10 Provincial Congress. Their work begins now. We look forward to seeing their achievements on the road ahead,” Ngwenya said.
In addition to unveiling the province’s new leadership, Popcru adopted a series of resolutions for roll-out over the coming months as it outlined its vision for the province and South Africa.
These resolutions include: Improving capacity, Popcru has emphasised that the criminal justice cluster must receive increased prioritisation if police, traffic, and correctional service officers are to successfully enforce the rule of law. Simultaneously, it noted that the Gauteng province has created about 96 300 jobs in recent years, of which 31 300 were created within three months alone.
The failure by the SACP to contest the elections as well as the new government of national unity also came under the spotlight with many delegates acknowledging that this new governance will have an impact on the working class.
Lusenga said there were a number of resolutions taken which expressed the views of the congress.
“Now, it is for us as a province to ensure all the resolutions are realised. We must continue to grow and service our membership in the province and we must remember why we have joined Popcru to address the conditions of service to our members.
“A lot was said about the outcomes of the recent elections. We must not lose hope. There are those who are saying now that we are done with elections, we must withdraw our membership from Cosatu. But, we must not do that, we must continue to work for this organisation. We must continue service our members. There has been serious resolutions taken from here,” Lusenga said.
Speaking during the adoption of reports and draft resolutions taken up by the delegates of the congress, Ngwenya urged members to debate some of the recent developments following the ANC’s decision to embark on a government of national unity (GNU).
“Perhaps we must allow our members to debate some of the recent developments. The destabilisation of the alliance and the rise of the GNU are some of the issues that need to be debated by our members. The congress acknowledges that while relations with some of the government departments are not at the best, we commit to intensify our efforts in deepening these engagements.”
Last year, IOL reported that the SACP’s augmented central committee agreed to contest the 2024 national elections and any other by-elections “with an effective and reconfigured alliance” with its partners, including the ANC.
“With the current electoral losses suffered by the ANC. We must consolidate our structures in assisting the alliance from a hostile government leadership. We affirm that the SACP is the vanguard of the working-class that must be strengthened through our financial support. The party needs to recognise its comprehensive vanguard character in that it is the vanguard of the whole of the working class and requires its total mobilisation in order to guarantee a socialism and the unionised working class,” he said.
The Star