INLSA
Metro police staff protest outside their Durban headquarters yesterday, calling for senior managers to be suspended and for a response to all their demands by Monday, failing which they will strike. Picture: Doctor Ngcobo
Wendy Jasson da Costa
wendy.jassondacosta @inl.co.za
DESPITE having been warned to desist, metro police officers said they were going ahead with a mass meeting in Durban today, following last week’s threat to strike over the festive season if their grievances with the management were not resolved.
However, metro police spokesman Senior Superintendent Eugene Msomi warned that the officers did not have permission to hold such a meeting.
Msomi would not comment on what action would be taken against errant officers, saying only that holding the meeting would be against labour regulations.
Last week, hundreds of officers belonging to the SA Municipal Workers Union (Samwu) gathered outside their headquarters in the city centre and handed over a list of grievances.
They called for the suspension of human resources manager Monty Naidoo and Senior Superintendent Rajen Chin. They were also concerned about their lack of training and delays in being permanently employed.
Samwu also previously called for an investigation into Chin’s qualifications, alleging that he was promoted from superintendent to senior superintendent despite not meeting the job requirements.
This prompted the union to call on all senior metro police managers to reveal their qualifications and for a vetting process by independent bodies.
“They work for local government; nothing can be hidden, everything must be transparent,” Samwu spokesman Jaycee Ncanana said.
Chin’s rapid rise through the ranks, from sergeant in 2002 to his current appointment, has also been questioned. He is in charge of all specialised metro police units, including the dog, speed-timing and horse units, the warrants section and the alcohol testing centre.
Ncanana said Chin’s current position was advertised twice. The first time no one got the job and it was readvertised with altered requirements. Two unsuccessful applicants, superintendents Joyce Khuzwayo and Parboo Sewpersad, lodged grievances against Chin’s appointment. Both matters went to arbitration, but they lost. Msomi said the basis of the grievances was that Chin did not have the requisite qualification.
“The arbitrator confirmed his appointment. This was after Chin’s qualifications were subjected to an official verification process.”
Naidoo said a private company, Clariveri, had been used to verify Chin’s qualifications.
According to the telephone directory and an internet search, the company is based in Pinetown. However, its website no longer exists and its telephone numbers are out of operation.
The Clariveri report states that Chin completed his studies and obtained a diploma in 1993. However, Lyceum College, through which he did his studies, said he completed his course in 1995.
Confusion
In his application, Chin submitted a document indicating that he had successfully completed the Institute of Traffic Officers Course 1 in 1993.
Naidoo also sent The Mercury a diploma from the Institute of Traffic Officers and Municipal Officers of SA, which states that Chin passed his “associate examination” in 1995. However, there is also confusion over whether he did a six-month certificate course or a three-year diploma.
Khuzwayo said Chin only had a certificate, not a diploma.
“I don’t have anything against Chin, he is a hard worker, but there are lots of hard workers who are never promoted,” she said.
Last year, The Mercury reported that ratepayers were forking out hundreds of thousands of rand annually in compensation to disgruntled metro police employees after the organisation was found to have flouted employment laws and irregularly appointed, dismissed or transferred people.
Responding to the allegations about Chin, Msomi said: “The above is not uncommon in the metro police, where appointment to senior positions is highly contested.”
