POPCRU 07th National Congress Declaration as held from the 13-16th June 2011 under the Theme“ 21 Years of Consolidating the Working Class Power within the Criminal Justice” Venue: University of Free State, VISTA Campus, Bloemfontein We, the Delegates from Nine Provinces representing Institutions as organized within the South African Police Services, Departments of Correctionals, Private Prisons and Traffic Departments met over the four days in our supreme body-POPCRU 07th National Congress held at the University of Free State, VISTA Campus, determined under our Slogan “A POPCRU Member is our priority”, to consolidate working Class hegemony at all workplaces, at the community level and all fronts. At the outset of convening the Congress under the Theme: “21 years of consolidating the working class power within the criminal justice”, we subscribed to specific and strategic organisational tasks, which were: ü Deepening of engagements on the core challenges confronting us in the current conjuncture in delivering quality membership services, ü Assessing the current balance of forces to march towards achieving a socialist future, ü Strengthening of the collective leadership and capacity to build unity with trade unions within the public service, private in the country and beyond our borders ü Consolidating all the gains to improve the quality of lives and excellent working conditions of the working class in general and the members within the Criminal Justice We acknowledge the warm and revolutionary welcome from the Provincial Leadership of Free State, at the City to host the coming African National Congress Centenary on the 08th January 2012 and for creating an enabling atmosphere which made us to knuckle down in building parliaments of workers in particular without any hindrance. We were joined by the leadership of COSATU and some Affiliates, leadership of the SACP led by Cde Solly Maphaila, African National Congress [ANC], POPCRU Group of Companies, our sister organisation from Southern African Development Community and other International bodies such as the Public Services International [PSI], South African Communist Party [SACP], to continue to unite the Working Class for common struggles against capitalist narrow beneficiation and enslavement of the masses.
We are talking about the masses that are still trapped by poverty, underdevelopment, famine, unemployment, unsafe working conditions and modern slavery under labour brokerage. We were inspired by great messages of support received from all progressive forces nationally and internationally, also took into considerations the revolutionary lessons learnt from true nation builder and selfless leaders, who passed on before the parliament of Workers, Cde Ma Albertina Sisulu and draw strength in enhancing Women Development within the Trade Union Movements and the society at large. And acknowledging the unwavering youth militancy since the 1976 Youth Uprising against the apartheid system of separate development and the 35th Anniversary celebrated today across the country to enhance economic development of our masses. We underscored the importance of internal democracy within the organisation and the National Congress has provided a platform to bring to the core the critical challenges facing the Working Class in general and deepened our class consciousness using Marxist-Leninist tools of inquiry to redefine our role as a progressive Trade Union in the current conjuncture, the largest within the Criminal Justice and one of the biggest within the public service, to continue to strive to achieve our organisational vision. We defied and defeated the cliquish tendency which has manifested itself in some using media platforms to vilify the organisation and sow confusion prior to the sitting of this Workers’ Parliament. We had energetic deliberations, vigorous engagements at the plenary sessions and resolutions adopted at the 07th National Congress has provided a vivid reflection that organisational strength lies in our quest to achieve Unity, Collaborations with both national and International Allies, commitment to achieve the ideals of the National Democratic Revolution based on common principles of “Worker Control, Worker Democracy, Transparency and accountability to all membership as per our Slogan which says a “A POPCRU Member is our priority”. The 7th National Congress confirmed the firm stance in asserting respect of constitutional provisions, to nip in the bud any undermining of the organisational supreme authority for the workers. We have achieved to protect integrity of the organization and ensure that no one undermines this position. We reaffirmed that organisational discipline must be restored and respect for revolutionary morality is the only way to go. Within this exposition, we therefore recommit our ourselves and declare: ü To emphasise the principle of the ANC been as a multi-class party, with a bias towards the working class and the poor, ü Recommit to stimulate our general membership to swell the ranks of the ANC leadership and as members in their own right to all branches of the Congress Movement. ü Totally condemn the NATO advancement on the destruction of Libya and support the African Union [AU] Intervention. ü Publicly put as a fact that the National Democratic Revolution seeks to resolve the main and inter-related contradictions of national oppression based on race, super-exploitation of black workers in particular and the triple oppression of black women. ü Stimulate the authenticity that the five pillars from the manifesto of the ANC which is the government’s current priority areas of delivery must be intensified. ü Confirm our progressive principle of continuously building SACP to be in a position to discharge its political, operational and administrative responsibilities with straightforwardness. Mobilse this principle within all the COSATU affiliates. ü The need to engage on the content of the National Anthem within the ambit of Nation Building and transformation of the society. ü Reaffirm a continued denunciation of anti-worker, anti-left, anti-communist, pseudo-militant demagogy that betrays all of our long held ANC Alliance traditions of internal organisational democracy, mutual respect for comrades, non-racialism and service to the masses of our country, ü Due to the status of Institutionalised bureaucracy within International Trade Union Confederation [ITUC] which is generally in the ambit of forces that are unable or unwilling to challenge imperialism and sometimes collaborate or act in its defence, COSATU must disaffiliate from ITUC and affiliate with World Federation of Trade Unions [WFTU]. ü Reaffirmation to assert sound labour relations within the departments where POPCRU operates, particularly the Department of Correctional Services, where relations have almost collapsed. ü Engage the community on serious issues of Restorative Justice to ensure smooth reintegration of those who successfully went through rehabilitation processes to be reunited with their family members and the society at large. ü Recommit ourselves the anti-corruption and expose all forms of this melanoma which will destroy the society. ü Ownership of the land in South Africa should be limited mainly for South Africans The Resolutions of the Congress will be shared and implemented within our Institutions, Collective Bargaining Councils where we sit, the Sectoral Education and Training Authorities within the public service where we are represented and departments where we are organizing. As we advance towards achieving a National Democratic Society, we reaffirm our total support to the coming ANC Centenary Celebrations at Mangaung, the SACP National Congress, COSATU National Congress and the African National Conference in 2012, with high elevation of Unity, revolutionary morality and selfless commitment to deliver for the working class. This declaration was adopted by Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union, at the 07th National Congress on the 16th June 2011, at the University of Free State, VISTA Campus. Forward with 21 Years of Consolidating the Working Class Power within the Criminal Justice! Justice for All! And a POPCRU Member is our priority! -- You are subscribed. This footer can help you. Please POST your comments to [email protected] or reply to this message. You can visit the group WEB SITE at http://groups.google.com/group/yclsa-eom-forum for different delivery options, pages, files and membership. To UNSUBSCRIBE, please email [email protected] . 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