Top cop reacts to dress code debacle

NATIONAL police commissioner General Riah Phiyega is re-evaluating the rules governing the uniforms of South Africa’s men and women in blue to ensure that they comply with religious and cultural practices.

Police Ministry spokesman Zweli Mnisi said Phiyega had asked a team of experts to investigate hairstyles, clothes and other items relating to religious and cultural practices “with the prescribed uniform in order to ensure compliance with the constitutional rights of employees of the South African Police Service”.

The probe comes after the president of the Hindu Dharma Sabha, Ram Maharaj, wrote a letter to Phiyega and Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa.

The letter was the most recent attempt to resolve a dispute between Pinetown police station commander Brigadier Owen Yamani Zama and Hindu and Zulu officers.

The problems began in March last year when Zama ordered the Hindu officers to remove their sacred red Lakshmi strings from their wrists and the Zulus to take off their goatskin bracelets.

Maharaj said Zama’s orders were contrary to the constitution.

“What we are demanding is that our sacred religious symbols be incorporated.”

Maharaj wrote to the minister and the police commissioner.

“Hindu police officers who were instructed to remove the sacred red strings have evidently experienced a loss of dignity and respect,” said Maharaj.

“The debilitating measure of compelling a Hindu to remove his or her sacred red string evokes feelings, including but not limited to, of hurt, humiliation, insult, disparagement, distress and offence.

“Hindus faithfully wear the Lakshmi string at all times and in all places. The Sabha believes that the innocuous and unostentatious sacred red string is not life-threatening to anyone and will not impede but rather enhance the work of the police officer.”

Lieutenant Yoga Gounden was one of the officers ordered to remove his Lakshmi string — but he refused to do so and was subjected to a disciplinary hearing.

The outcome of Gounden’s hearing will be determined by the results of the task team’s investigation.

Gounden, who approached Maharaj for assistance with the matter, said he hoped he and his colleagues would “be left alone to wear our red strings because it is our religious right”.

“We don’t want to be victimised,” he said.

“Also, we would like the department to take strong action against the people responsible for victimising us, because this takes us back to the days before 1994.”

Mnisi said the task team was in the final stages of compiling instructions to regulate the dress code and that they were expected to be finalised by March.