Pretoria - The Labour Court has granted the South African Police Service (SAPS) an interim interdict which prohibits its employees from participating in the public service strike.
Police spokesperson Brigadier Sally de Beer said the interdict, which was granted in the early hours of Thursday morning, also prohibits the Police and Prisons Rights Organisation (POPCRU) from promoting, encouraging or supporting SAPS members' participation in the strike.
On Wednesday, POPCRU, which is a COSATU affiliate, announced that it intended to join the national public sector strike. SAPS then approached the Labour Court to apply for an urgent interdict, De Beer said.
The SAPS are rendered essential services and are therefore prohibited from striking.
The interim order was granted at 1am on Thursday.
"Employees of the SAPS, both those employed under the South African Police Service Act and those employed under the Public Service Act, may not in terms of the SAPS Act and in terms of this interim interdict withhold their labour or participate in strike action.
"Any contravention of this prohibition will lead to disciplinary action being taken which may include summary dismissal from the police service," De Beer said.
