Cape Town - Police officers will soon receive an increase in danger allowance that will be backdated to April 2022.
The officers have until recently been receiving a R400 a month in danger allowance.
The danger allowance has attracted interest of NFP MP Munzoor Shaik-Emam, who asked President Cyril Ramaphosa during the oral question session on March 9 whether he would consider intervening as the officers obtained R13 a day in danger allowance.
Ramaphosa said at the time the issue of danger allowance had come up in various negotiations and that it was being negotiated.
Shaik-Emam then took up the matter with Police Minister Bheki Cele, asking in a parliamentary question whether he intended to deal with the concerns of police officers.
In his written response, Cele said the SAPS tabled a revised proposal in the Safety and Security Sectoral Bargaining Council to increase the service allowance for officers performing operational duties.
“An agreement on the said service allowance was signed on March 13 2023 with organised labour and subsequently approved by the Minister of Police on March 15 2023.
“The service allowance of R400 per month for SAPS members performing operational duties will be increased to R700 per month. (It will be) backdated to April 2022,” Cele said.
On Sunday, police trade unions cautiously welcomed the increase to the danger allowance.
Police and Prison Civil Rights Union spokesperson Richard Mamabolo said: “We have been seeking a mandate from our members. Although the increase is small, it is better than nothing.”
He also said the danger allowance, which was introduced in 2001, had not been increasing on yearly basis and should have been R1500 if inflation was taken into consideration.
“Although we are not happy about the amount, it is better than nothing. It is something we will work on noting that there will be future engagements to have the allowance increased.”
Independent Policing Union of South Africa president Bethuel Nkuna said they appreciated the steps taken to increase the danger allowance, but they too felt that the increase was not enough.
“This danger allowance has been R400 for decades,” Nkuna said.
“We are not happy because the danger allowance is not allocated to every police officer.
Officers posted at police stations are excluded from receiving the allowance as SAPS deem them not to be in danger,” Nkuna said, adding that all officers were at risk.
Meanwhile, Shaik-Emam asked Cele in another parliamentary question whether SAPS intended to deal with inadequate housing for allocation to officers, which resulted in the police having to live in informal settlements and townships.
Cele said the allocation of houses was regulated by a policy that directed the periodic allocation of housing.
The allocation of houses was undertaken every three years and preference was given to officers from the rank of constable to lieutenant-colonel.
Cele also said SAPS considered the availability of housing as a critical enabling resource in order to contribute to a safer environment for officials.
Cape Times