New JMPD boss ‘not best option’

JOBURG CITY ANC HEADS TO COURT IN BID TO GET THE APPOINTMENT SET ASIDE David Tembe got job as he was only one in first five who could start immediately.

The ANC in Joburg rejected David Tembe’s appointment as the city’s new metro police chief yesterday, accusing the Democratic Alliance-led administration of flouting appointment processes.

The ANC added that it had started a legal process to have the appointment set aside.

Joburg mayor Herman Mashaba announced earlier in the day that Tembe took over the post on Tuesday.

Tembe previously worked for 20 years in city entities, including the Johannesburg Metro Police Department and Johannesburg Emergency Services, before joining the Road Traffic Management Corporation and later practising as a law enforcement consultant.

The process that led to the council approving him for the post angered the opposition ANC in Joburg which preferred another candidate, General Eric Gela.

ANC spokesperson in Joburg Jolidee Matongo said Mashaba had presented a report recommending Gela’s appointment on October 19. Tembe scored as candidate number five in this report.

“After discussions at this meeting, the mayor withdrew the report and the matter was sent back to the executive for further consideration. After the October 19, 2017 council meeting there were no new interviews,” Matongo said.

“Instead a new report was presented to council on November 29. In this report, Tembe was recommended for appointment.”

The ANC caucus in the City of Joburg took issue with this as “it did not afford the highest-scoring candidates the opportunity to be appointed”.

Matongo also dismissed the recruitment panel’s unanimous recommendation for Tembe’s appointment, although he was fifth on the list, on the basis that it was a crucial position and the city wanted the candidate to start immediately, which the first four candidates could not do. They were not registered members of a municipal police service and it would take months to train them.

“This recommendation by the panel, if it indeed came from the panel, clearly demonstrates Tembe is not the most suitable candidate. Therefore, his appointment will be challenged by the ANC,” Matongo said. “We will meantime approach the MEC for cooperative governance and the minister of public service and administration to look into it. We have also given our legal team the documents to start a process to have the appointment set aside.” – ANA