Delegates attending the Public Sector Summit have called for the merging of the South African Police Service (SAPS) and numerous Metropolitan police units to strengthen the fight against crime.

The call for the integration of metro police forces and the SAPS was met fierce opposition when it was first made a few years ago. The Democratic Alliance (DA) in 2009 reportedly vowed to oppose the proposed merge through the courts if necessary.

This was after deputy police minister Fikile Mbalula said the ministry sought to merge the SAPS and metro forces to create a single strong police force.

The Summit was attended by high level members of the public service sector, including union members and department of public services as well as the Minister for Public Service and Administration Richard Baloyi.

Delegates resolved that the forensic laboratory services should be decentralised to end long waits for much needed DNA results which delayed prosecution of criminals.

The three-day conference began on Thursday at Durban's Inkosi Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre. It took place under the theme "positioning the public service towards a development state through effective service delivery".

The aim of the summit was to discuss enhancing delivery and ironing out the differences between unions and the government before these led to strikes.

A declaration with numerous measures aimed at improving service delivery and improving public servant's working conditions was adopted on Saturday afternoon.

It was also resolved that government should complete the work on revising the Protected Disclosures Act as a matter of urgency to fully protect whistle blowers.

Congress of SA Trade Unions (Cosatu) deputy president James Tyotyo on Friday complained that whistle blowers were not fully protected, saying they were being victimised and suspended after exposing corruption.

"This revision must take into account the strengthening of the act to protect whistle blowers from victimisation of any kind. This work should be completed by 2011," the conference resolved.

Public servants also committed themselves to working with government to fight corruption.

It was also resolved that all funded vacant posts be filled urgently and that government agencies that were set up as autonomous structures to provide services on behalf of government, should be abolished because they undermined coordination in government.

Baloyi said he was glad that delegates had agreed on issues that needed to be attended to urgently.

"I am happy that there is commitment. We will make sure that resolutions are implemented. We need to walk the talk."