Sithole to head metro cop march probe
|Published
Eugene Nzama. Picture: S'bonelo Ngcobo Eugene Nzama. Picture: S'bonelo Ngcobo
Durban - City manager S’bu Sithole will head a probe into Friday’s unauthorised protest march by 200 metro police officers calling for the removal of their boss - Eugene Nzama.
The disgruntled metro police officers had been reminded that they were bound by the National Police Act, city mayor James Nxumalo said on .
During the Executive Committee meeting, Nxumalo said he was disappointed by their conduct.
“We have assigned the city manager to handle the situation. We need to know who the culprits are. We cannot have police violate protocol. We condemn this behaviour,” he said.
Nxumalo said grievances should be directed to the bargaining council.
According to a memorandum of grievances, the officers want, among other things, metro police head, Nzama, to be removed.
Lindani Sicwala, who represents the metro police with the union, said the Manase Report into challenges facing the city had indicated that there were a number of problems within metro police, so they were now more determined to see Nzama go.
“We want him out because we have been proven right,” he said.
Sicwala said they were also calling for a review on how Nzama was hired, a qualification audit of all senior managers in the department and a review of all the positions of people who were hired by the police chief.
Sicwala said if the city did not respond in time, the union would move on to their “Plan B” - to down tools.
He said this would have a negative impact on the Top Gear Festival that will be taking place at the Moses Mabhida Stadium this weekend.
Regional secretary of South African Municipal Workers Union, Jaycee Ncanana, said if they downed tools, there would be ramifications.
“If we down tools, our industrial action will coincide with the event in Durban. It is not planned, but if we are forced to down tools it will be affected.”
Ncanana said: “What we are asking is for them to deal with Nzama. We can’t have over 3 000 people suffering because of one person.”
He said Nzama thought he was “above everything”, which did not make his officers happy.
Municipal spokesman, Thabo Mofokeng, said some of the grievances were already being addressed, but did not say which ones.
Mofokeng said he did not think the Top Gear Festival would be affected.
“While the issues are being discussed, we expect our police to be disciplined,” he said.
Daily News