Top cop ‘bloating his office’

A REPLY to a DA parliamentary question proved that National Police Commissioner Khehla Sitole was promoting individuals to “bloat” his office at a rapid rate, the DA said.

“More worryingly, this is being done in a manner that is not transparent at all and underscores the DA’s position that the professionalism of the police service will only be possible when there are transparent, competitive and merit-based appointment and promotion processes in the police as a matter of course,” said DA spokesman Zakhele Mbhele.

The DA had previously requested that Police Minister Bheki Cele urgently repeal regulation 45(1) (n) of the SAPS employment regulations due to the continued abuse which saw successive national police commissioners promote individuals who may not be fit for purpose, he said.

The regulation provides that the national commissioner, with the concurrence of the minister, may promote an employee into a post without advertising the post and without following the prescribed selection process, if the national commissioner was satisfied that the employee qualified in all aspects for the post.

“Since Sitole took office, he has used regulation 45 to promote 16 SAPS members,” Mbhele said.

“Minister Cele must prove that he has what it takes to root out cronyism and mismanagement in the SAPS.” – African News Agency (ANA)