Solidarity reveals even more NSF wrongdoing; brings urgent court application
7 November 2018
Solidarity today disclosed further shocking detail on how the NSF Project has been used as a pretext to promote hundreds of police members to the ranks of officers who could not possibly qualify as NSF members.
This comes after Rapport and City Press last Sunday made shocking revelations about senior ranks being dished out to “NSF” members.
According to Solidarity Deputy Chief Executive Johan Kruger, it is becoming clearer every day that the NSF Project is a cover to promote cadres through the ranks so as to hijack senior SAPS ranks.
“Hundreds of persons who are now in line for promotion have barely turned 18 in 1994, or have only turned 18 after the political transition. They are the ones who are now being considered as war veterans and who, in certain cases, will skip five ranks to be promoted to the ranks of senior officers,” Kruger explained.
Information Solidarity has obtained confirms the ages of the persons on the list for promotions as follows:
51 persons are aged 45 (born in 1973);
45 persons are aged 44 (born in 1974);
28 persons are aged 43 (born in 1975);
30 persons are aged 42 (born in 1976);
8 persons are aged 41 (born in 1977);
6 persons are aged 40 (born in 1978);
2 persons are aged 39 (born in 1979).
“How these persons could possibly be described as NSF members at all, and how they qualify for those improper promotions elude comprehension,” Kruger said.
Thousands of Solidarity members and other SAPS members of the same age who have already been in the SAPS at the time of the political transition in 1994 are not in line for the promotions. Instead, they have to remain in their existing ranks, ranks they have been in for many years. They have to make every effort to be promoted, usually without success. It is only the exception when promotion happens at all.
Other shocking information that has come to light confirms that:
1) There are 33 persons on the list who have retired (normal retirement age is 60). Yet, they are being recommended for promotion even though they are not in the employ of the SAPS anymore.
2) The names of five persons who have been medically boarded, appear on the list. They are therefore also retired; yet they are being recommended for promotion even though they are not part of the SAPS anymore
3) Among the names on the list the names feature of 16 persons who have died. (Yet, those names appear on the list for promotion.)
Solidarity today announced that it would bring an urgent court application after the SAPS had not heeded the trade union’s demand by yesterday’s deadline. The trade union demanded that all promotions made in terms of the project (which has been in full swing since 1 November) be suspended until Solidarity’s application for the project’s review has been finalised by the High Court.
“It is in the interest of our members and in the national interest that the NSF Project be revised. It is a project that is nothing but politically motivated and it is to the detriment of the careers of ordinary members who cannot apply for those positions. At the same time, the trust of citizens in an impartial SAPS that maintains law and order has been broken, and their hopes are dashed even more,” Kruger added.
The list of names of those identified for promotion, is attached. Click here .
A fact sheet is attached. Click here.
FACT SHEET:
Facts regarding the NSF not previously made available:
1) A total of 601 names appear on the list;
2) Current ranks ranges from that of Constable (the lowest rank in the SAPS) to that of Lieutenant General (the second highest rank in the SAPS);
3) In terms of the proposed ranking ALL NSF members on the list will be promoted to the ranks of OFFICERS- with the exception of one person (a Warrant-Officer) who refused re-ranking;
4) The most absurd recommendation pertains to a female currently holding the rank of Sergeant (the second lowest rank in the SAPS). The person has been recommended for promotion to the rank of Brigadier (the fourth highest rank in the SAPS). The person in question only has a matric qualification. She is 42 years of age and is believed to have been an NSF member between 1992 and 1996-which means she must have been 14 when she joined one of the non-statutory forces. During the four years in which she allegedly served in the NSF she nonetheless managed to write her matric in 1995. From 1996 she disappeared from the radar, and it was only in 2009 that she was appointed by the SAPS as a Sergeant. At the moment she is working in the VIP environment where she is performing static guard duties (basically looking after staff). She has no specialised training, nor does she have any scarce skills. It is totally unclear what merit the Re-Ranking Committee based their recommendation on for making this senior appointment.
Of the 601 names on the list the following number of promotions are now known:
1) A total of 33 persons who have retired (normal retirement age 60 - but they are being recommended for promotion even though they are not members of the SAPS)
2) Five persons who were medically boarded (in other words, they too are retired- but are recommended for promotion even though they are no longer with the SAPS)
3) A total of 28 persons who have retired from the Service in terms of section 35 of the Police Act (they have received so-called golden handshakes - those 28 have been recommended for promotion even though they are no longer in the service of the SAPS)
4) The names of 16 persons who have died appear among those listed (Yet, they are being recommended for promotion)
5) Also on the list are the names of six persons who were dishonourably discharged (having faced disciplinary enquiry and having been punished) Yet, they are being recommended for promotion even though they are no longer in the employ of the SAPS
6) The names of 15 persons who have resigned voluntarily also appear on the list. (They are being recommended for promotion even though they are not in the employ ofthe SAPS anymore.)
The ages of the persons on the list are as follows – Please note: The focs was on persons younger than 45:
- 51 aged 45 (born in 1973)
- 45 aged 44 (born in 1974)
- 28 aged 43 (born in 1975)
- 30 aged 42 (born in 1976)
- 8 aged 41 (born in 1977)
- 6 aged 40 (born in 1978)
- 2 aged 39 (born in 1979)
High level appointments:
Lieutenant General Mfazi (NSF member) - appointed as Deputy National Commissioner: Management Advisory. This person is also heading the restructuring of the SAPS.
Lieutenant General Shitlabane (NSF member) - appointed as Divisional Commissioner Protection and Security Services (PSS). The Presidential Guard and all VIP protectors report to this commissioner. The annual budget is more than R2 808 078 000. This is also the division with the least manpower- a total staff complement of 6 595. The average budget per person is R425 788 (excluding salaries).
Additional important information:
TOTAL SAPS BUDGET: R87 025 128 000
TOTAL STAFF COMPLEMENT: 194 605
The budget is allocated as follows:
Vispol (This division is responsible for CRIME PREVENTION)
R44 100 008 000 (102 061 members); average budget per member R432 094 (salaries excluded)
Detective Service (This division is responsible for CRIME INVESTIGATION)
R17 934 597 000 (39 070 members); average budget per member R459 037 (salaries excluded)
Crime Intelligence (The gathering of information for PREVENTION and INVESTIGATIVE PURPOSES)
R3 546 032 000 (9 153 members); average budget per member R387 417 (salaries excluded)
The above divisions are responsible for executing the SAPS's CONSTITUTIONAL MANDATE, namely to prevent and investigate crime.
ENDS
Issued by Johan Kruger, Deputy Chief Executive, Solidarity, 7 November 2018
