Police promotion bonanza for MK vets angers cops left out in the cold
ABOUT 14 000 police officers are expected to benefit from a plan to promote political deployees and former Umkhonto weSizwe cadres in the force.
The new structure, which could include huge salary increases for some, was approved by the acting national police commissioner Lieutenant-General Khomotso Phahlane in November.
It has been driven by the office of the deputy police minister, Maggie Sotyu. She outlined a plan in May 2015 to “re-rank” the nonstatutory force members, increasing their pay and improving perks.
The process was criticised by the general secretary of the South African Policing Union, Oscar Skommere.
He said it would deprive ordinary police officers of a fair chance of promotion.
Police spokeswoman Brigadier Sally de Beer said the process, carried out in terms of transformation, had followed consultations with “various stakeholders” and had been approved by parliament and the cabinet.
Non-statutory force members, many of whom are MK veterans and part of the police’s blue-light brigade, will be promoted despite allegations that they are not fully trained.
The promotions were revealed in a new protection and security services organogram signed by Phahlane and Major-General Jack Makgato.
The organogram, dated November 11 2016, was seen by the Sunday Times.
Police officers to whom the Sunday Times spoke said the promotions were “payback for pals” and were tantamount to unfair labour practices because most of the officers involved did not have qualifications or experience. FAST TRACKING: LieutenantGeneral Khomotso Phahlane
Among the promotions will be to level-12 posts (brigadier and above) with a salary of about R700 000 a year. The requirements were a matric certificate and four years’ experience.
“This is unfair on all other members of the SAPS. The deputy minister needs to be reminded she represents all members of the service and not just the NSF personnel,” said one police officer.
Another said officers were informed recently that the new posts were imminent. They were earmarked for non-statutory force members and “any member who objected to this should lodge a grievance”.
The officer said non-statutory force members were given ranks and perks when they were incorporated into the force 20 years ago.
“We had to accept it. Twenty years has past and they did not take the initiative to further their careers by even making some attempts to studying further,” he said.
A Durban-based non-statutory force officer said he joined the presidential protection unit in 1994. Despite having no police experience, he was made a sergeant. He is now a colonel.
“I was based at the ANC’s headquarters [then Shell House] when I joined. It’s not true that the ranks were thrown willy-nilly. We worked hard to attain them. Yes, by 2001 I was a captain. I have been a major too, before that was abolished. But many of us have grabbed the opportunity to train in basic policing,” he said.
Skommere said while a similar process had been implemented before, to repeat it deprived traditional police officers of a fair chance for promotion.
“Is it in the best interests of the police service members? No, I don’t think so,” said Skommere.
He said when the union raised the matter, it was labelled “antitransformation” and still stuck in the old order.
De Beer said the new structure was not developed and approved solely for the NSF officers, and called the criticism of it “unfounded”.
“The department has, over a year, embarked on a programme to implement the recommendations contained in the reference group’s report which amongst others, refers to the challenges experienced by the members of the non-statutory forces who were integrated/amalgamated into the SAPS.
“The structures of the SAPS, developed and approved since the appointment of the acting national commissioner, are enabling the implementation of the back-to-basics approach and strategy in line with the core business of the police service,” she said.
They did not take the initiative to further their careers