Vavi hammers Mkhwanazi over wages

South African Federation of Trade Unions (Saftu) general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi has slammed KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi for his comments on union demands.

- Itumeleng Mafisa

Mkhwanazi suggested that unions are to blame for the shortage of police officers in KwaZulu-Natal and other parts of the country. He was speaking at a government crime stakeholder engagement in KZN this week.

"They are going down more thanks to who? The unions. The labour people who said we want higher salaries for our employees," said Mkhwanazi.

"So, the more government increases salaries, the fewer they employ. The fewer they employ, the more crime there is. The reality is that too many things are wrong in our country which contribute and labour laws are among those."

In a statement, Vavi lambasted Mkhwanazi for his comments.