Struggle forces not favoured, says SAPS

The South African Police Service (SAPS) has denied implementing a project that benefits only members of the nonstatutory forces who have allegedly been promoted to senior ranks in the police force.

The nonstatutory forces are former Umkhonto we Sizwe and former Azanian People’s Liberation Army members integrated into the SAPS, the South African National Defence Force and the country’s National Intelligence Agency.

Allegations were also that the non-statutory forces were given preferential pension perks.

The SAPS dismissed allegations in an urgent court application by trade union Solidarity that the nonstatutory forces project aimed at discriminating against members.

A TASK TEAM LED BY THE POLICE MINISTRY WAS SET UP TO DEAL WITH THE ISSUES

This was in an answering affidavit by the SAPS to Solidarity’s bid in the High Court in Pretoria to cease implementation of the project. The court will hear the matter on Thursday.

The union asked the court to force the police service to hand over documents related to the project. It also sought to interdict it from continuing with the project that excluded statutory forces members who served in the South African National Defence Force under apartheid and after 1994.

In 2012, a programme was established to deal with disparities faced by the nonstatutory force members involving pension benefits, leave, incorrect ranking and recognition of service and skills development.

A task team spearheaded by the police ministry was established in 2013 to deal with the issues. Altogether, 953 nonstatutory force applications had been received to date, said the SAPS, and the programme was yet to be implemented.