‘Charges were serious, warranted dismissal’
PATRICK Makiringi’s former employer, the SA Police Service (SAPS), argued at his disciplinary hearing that the charges against him were serious and warranted dismissal.
Sowetan has seen a copy of the judgment delivered in July last year by the hearing’s chairman, a Brigadier D Beukes.
The ruling says the SAPS witness explained that the police wanted Makiringi dismissed because “the misconduct in question speaks to the relationship between the employer and the employee”.
“The witness testified that the misconduct impacts on the relationship between South Africa and other countries where the employee misrepresented himself as a member of the SAPS on official business, which was not the case.
“The employee also received benefits which were not due to him.”
These were not in the form of money, “but [Makiringi] would have had free movement between countries and would have received special treatment when moving from one point to another”.
Furthermore, the witness said Makiringi was aware he had to return the passport when he returned to the country.
The witness admitted, though, that there were no regulations in the SAPS that determine when one should hand back a diplomatic passport.
Makiringi’s seniority in the SAPS did not work in his favour in the verdict.
“The employee’s conduct is aggravated, not mitigated, by the fact that he is a commissioned officer with almost 30 years service and has four children,” wrote Beukes in the ruling. –