COSATU Western Cape strongly condemns the dismissal of more than one hundred law enforcement officers by the City of Cape Town
1 February 2024
The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) in the Western Cape is extremely disturbed and disappointed by the City of Cape Town’s latest decision to dismiss more than one hundred (100) Law Enforcement Officers (Leap Officers) which are mostly black and female. The first group of 66 officers was dismissed on the 31st of January 2024, and the second group of (28) and a further group of 18 officers will be released in the coming month. The ultimate objective of the City is to dismiss 275 Law Enforcement Officers.
Our city is already beleaguered by high crime levels, which makes the decision by the City of Cape Town unjustified and reckless. Ironically, the very same City boasted in the media a few years ago about the employment of these leap officers in attempts to help fight crime in our communities. Today they are singing a different tune, making it clear that the recruitment drive was a mere publicity stunt.
There is absence of transparency from the executive as we have also learnt that some of these officers were deployed during the taxi strike to protect the house of the Mayoral Committee Member(MMC) for Safety and Security.
COSATU condemns this decision in the strongest possible terms. To this end, we are calling on the MMC and the Mayor to intervene. Failing which, we will have no option but to pursue a vigorous campaign against the City.
This a clear attack on workers, collective bargaining, and workers’ rights. We will not sit arms folded while the City of Cape Town is unashamedly attacking our members and workers.
The Federation will be seeking an urgent meeting with the Mayor Geordin Hill Lewis, with the aim and objective of resolving this impasse.
Issued by Malvern De Bruyn, COSATU Western Cape, 1 February 2024
