The South African Municipal Workers Union (SAMWU) says it will be meeting with the Tshwane metro executives soon to discuss a range of issues. They include the city’s decision to encourage members of the public to record their encounters with Metro police officers, and also the matter involving the employment contracts of the Municipal officers and security guards.
“After this directive was issued, one of our officers wanted to arrest a drunken driver this week…members of the public instead of assisting him to arrest the drunken driver, they were taking videos. And you can see that it’s like a joke now, we are putting the lives of our officers in trouble. Therefore we are saying, we cannot allow our officers to be taken pictures and videos while executing their duties.”
Meanwhile, Mathabatha also revealed that the city has security officers and Metro police officers who have been working without formal contracts.
“It is a serious problem, remember these security officers were insourced two years ago. Even now they don’t have contracts. They are not getting any benefits.”
He adds: “Nothing is happening to them and they don’t even have uniform, but they are protecting the assets of the city. We have got Constables that don’t have contracts. And they have been in the system for a very long time but they don’t have contracts.”
Last week, Acting Chief of Tshwane Metro Police Department (TMPD), Basil Nkwashu, informed Metro police officers that motorists will now be allowed to request the officer’s appointment certificate, take photos of the officer and his vehicle, and record the occurrence.
This was according to a leaked directive issued by the Metro in response to the high number of alleged extortion and harassment cases opened against Metro police officers.
