Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union (Popcru) President Zizamele Cebekhulu has called for an end to government austerity measures. Delivering his address at the opening of the union’s national congress in Durban, Cebekhulu says these measures are crippling the poor and middle class and worsening inequality in South Africa.
He says it is hampering quality service delivery due to the moratorium on filling vacancies in the public service.
Cebekhulu says South Africa should rather look for innovative ways to stimulate the economy after the devastating impact of COVID-19. He suggests higher taxes on the rich and smarter resource allocation in public service.
“Cabinet should abandon the litany of perks to which it feels entitled. The government should also slash the number of ministers from 28 to 20. Slash deputy ministers from 34 to 5. As well as reconsider the 10 000 councilors loitering about dysfunctional municipalities.”
Cebekhulu says South Africans should not pay the price for corruption and state capture so that the government can service its debt.
“We must not be asked to pay the price when people steal money from government coffers. Ordinary South Africans should not be asked to pay the ultimate price of corruption or for failed neo-liberal macroeconomic policies. This cannot continue, comrades. Government must relinquish these policies and rather improve the resilience of consumers.”
Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union’s 10th National Congress:
