A voice recording of a meeting between SEMU (Standards, Evaluation and Monitoring Specialised Unit) members and senior management of the Tshwane Metro Police on Tuesday, 6 March 2012, have become known.
In this recording crucial statements were made by the Political Head, MMC (Member of the Mayoral Committee) Terrance Mashego and the Acting Chief of Metro Police, Director KS Ngobeni, whereby they made it clear that SEMU, as of that week (last week), has been integrated into the Office of the Chief Audit Executive.
The following points are of importance:
1. This comes as a shock as no report has served before Council or the relevant Section 79 Committee to seek approval!
2. An initial report (end 2011) within the department stated that only the “reporting line” would have changed and the members would still have been metro police officers, investigating all matters within the metro not just metro police members, as has been the case until then.
3. The MMC’s voice can clearly be heard addressing the members of SEMU regarding their department being integrated into another, stating that “…only do functions within the act (SAPS Act), nothing more…” “…you will not raise your own choice in what you want to do, it’s unacceptable, it will not be allowed …”
4. The members were given only two options in said meeting namely,go to the Office of the Chief Audit Executive (and hereby lose your status as a Metro Police Officer) or stay and the Chief of Metro Police will redeploy you!
5. There is a duty on the employer to consult their employees on issues of mutual interest that will have an effect on the employment contracts of employees before final decisions are taken. Nothing of this nature took place! It is in fact not conductive to sound labour relations!
6. Until the date of the press statement, said SEMU members did not receive any written documentation, indicating their new positions or job description.
7. How can a Department and a political head decide on their own to take away employees titles without (a) approval and (b) consultation with the relevant employees?
8. It is important to note that ONLY METRO POLICE OFFICERS may investigate a Metro Police officer! In other words, no one will now investigate Metro Police Officers!
9. Until the date of the press statement, no proper confirmation could be obtained as to what will happen with the current investigation dockets or with new cases!
10. What does not make sense at all is the fact that nothing stopped council from using these metro police officers to investigate all departments within council. In fact, that would have been brilliant as they had the power! This new move now takes away all that power!
11. The DA cannot understand why this new move had to be done in such a rush without a proper investigation into the pros & cons and the necessary negotiations with the relevant officials!
12. Even the Unions objected to this move but it seems that they are blatantly ignored.
13. Tshwane will be the only Metro Police Department in SA without an internal investigations unit!
14. It is clear that the MMC, Terrance Mashego, interferes with the administration by his statements above. He is blatantly ignoring the Municipal Structures Act, indicating clearly under the Code of Conduct for Councillors, Section 11: “A councillor may not, except as provided by law (a) interfere in the management or administration of any department of the municipal council unless mandated by council”. Council gave no such mandate! Furthermore, the MMC is making statements in direct contrast to council policies!
All of the above cannot be ignored and therefore, the DA has to make its own assumption, that the move to integrate SEMU into another Department is to cover up the magnitude of corruption going on within the Metro Police by the ruling party!
The DA will not accept this decision regarding the future of SEMU and we will not accept the blatant interference of the MMC! We will therefore ask for an internal investigation by the Municipal Manager.
COMPILED BY:
COUNCILLOR KAREN MEYER
DA SPOKESPERSON : COMMUNITY SAFETY
TSHWANE METRO COUNCIL
(MOBILE: 082 3737 662)
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