METRO WATCH
THE South African Municipal Workers’ Union has lodged a grievance against the Joburg metro police department for nominating superintendent Phineas Manyama as officer of the year, for which he won a car. The union said the officer was not worthy of the award.
THE South African Municipal Workers’ Union (Samwu) has lodged a grievance against the Joburg metro police department (JMPD) for nominating superintendent Phineas Manyama as officer of the year, for which he won a car.
The union said the officer was not worthy of the award.
Samwu spokesperson Jack Mokalapa said that, firstly, the awards were supposed to be given to non-ranked officers.
Manyama, from Martindale Station, was recognised for a variety of successes including management of traffic flow during the eight-month closure of the M2 bridge between the Crown Interchange and Maritzburg Street.
Mokalapa said he was simply doing his job and there was nothing outstanding about it, especially in the light of the fact he had been paid a “fortune” in overtime shifts.
“These awards should be going to the foot soldiers who put their lives at risk every day and have gone beyond the call of duty – not to someone who gets paid to do his job,” he said.
Furthermore, there had previously been allegations of assault against the superintendent.
The awards, he said, were supposed to be presented to officers who went beyond the call of duty, showed up professionally at all times, conducted themselves well, respected their work and that of their colleagues, used JMPD resources responsibly, at no time accepted bribes from irresponsible road users. But Manyama did not match these requirements, said Mokalapa.
He also alleged the superintendent belonged to a faction supporting the chief of police, David Tembe. Many officers are calling for Tembe’s suspension on a number of grounds.
The JMPD, however, said it disagreed with the allegations of favouritism or wrongdoing.
JMPD spokesperson, Chief Superintendent Wayne Minnaar, said: “The previous chief of JMPD, Banzi Nyanda, promoted Phineas Manyama in 2015 from a sergeant to superintendent, not because he was favoured, but because he was hard working.
“JMPD officers have been nominated by their commanders at the monthly JMPD conferences – it was not Chief David Tembe who did the nominations,” he said.
Speaking on the nomination of ranked officers, Minnaar said that in November 2012, Superintendent Clement Mojela was recognised as officer of the year.
“Manyama is not the first superintendent to receive this award. The award goes to any member of JMPD who has a high work ethic and who is dedicated to duty,” he said.
JMPD commanders were this year requested to submit recommendations to nominate the officer of the year.
“That is why Deputy Director Mike Smith submitted a three-page letter of recommendation to nominate superintendent Manyama. It was not chief David Tembe who took that decision. Manyama commanded the unit that has arrested more than 2 000 suspects since May this year. His unit impounded more than 70 trucks that were caught dumping illegally.
“He also supervised sergeants, inspectors and 400 officers who directed traffic in the mornings and afternoons when the M2 freeway was closed for repairs. Manyama proposed the establishment of an undercover unit which could deal with smashandgrab attacks, at the time of the M2 closure,” said Minnaar.