Dedicated cops still not paid

OVERTIME: AWARD-WINNING PORT ELIZABETH DETECTIVES OWED R400 000 IN OVERTIME

Saps misses bargaining council’s deadline to pay dedicated crime fighters.

For more than a year, an award-winning detective team from Port Elizabeth has been underpaid – despite a bargaining council agreement that police management should pay them the R400 000 they are owed in overtime.

Over weekends, during the night and the early hours of the morning when they are called out to dangerous scenes, the 18 seasoned police officers say they are thinking only about helping those who fall victim to crime, and not the huge overtime balance due to them.

The South African Police Service (Saps) has defaulted by not paying overtime for the 2016-17 and 2017-18 financial years.

This, despite a Safety and Security Sectoral Bargaining Council (SSSBC) agreement stating the officers must be paid on or before June 30 this year.

The award-winning detective team, together with the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) in Port Elizabeth, has a star track record in securing convictions and heavy sentences for criminals.

Provincial police communications were contacted for comment last week and asked for time to respond. Last Thursday, spokesperson Captain Mali Govender said it was an internal matter receiving attention at the highest level.

The Provincial Gang Investigation Unit was formed about five years ago and last year won detective team of the year at the National Excellence Awards Ceremony.

“Yes, the overtime is due but we love what we do. We are making a difference. That’s the nature of a detective’s job. We are not people who are motivated by money,” said one police officer.

But, after months of deliberations, they decided to register a grievance. After management would not address the issue, the detectives turned to the South African Policing Union (Sapu)