National police refuse to budge in top cop's 'demotion' case
22 August 2017
Cape Town - A high-ranking Western Cape police officer, who was key in several critical national investigations and who recently succeeded in having his transfer set aside, is now up for another legal battle with police management.
National police are appealing the Cape Town Labour Court ruling which set aside Major-General Jeremy Vearey's redeployment within the police service.
Police managers are also sticking firm with Major-General Peter Jacobs, who was also part of the Labour Court matter in which he fought his transfer - he has been given 21 working days to submit representations about his transfer.
On August 3, after a mammoth legal battle, the Cape Town Labour Court found in favour of the duo, seeing aside their effective demotions.
In June 2016, Vearey, who was deputy provincial commissioner for detective services, was suddenly shifted to a position he had previously filled - commander of the Cape Town cluster of police stations.
Appeal
Jacobs, who headed the province's crime intelligence unit, was appointed Wynberg cluster commander.
The Labour Court had ruled that these moves be set aside and reviewed.
But on Monday national police spokesperson Colonel Athlenda Mathe said: "[Jacobs] has been given 21 calendar days to submit representations with regard to his lateral transfer to the position of Cluster Commander: Wynberg.
"The judgment in so far as it relates to [Vearey] will be taken on appeal. He will continue to serve as Cluster Commander: Cape Town Central until the legal process is finalised."
Comment from Vearey and Jacobs' attorney was not immediately obtained.
In court papers before the Labour Court, the two had said incorrect political beliefs by police management about them had led to their transfers, which had jeopardised several critical investigations.
This includes a national gun smuggling investigation, in which police officers allegedly smuggled firearms to gangsters, as well as looking into whether right wing groups were stockpiling weapons to be used against the state.
Vearey and Jacobs had also been probing the theft of weapons from military bases and the export of illicit guns out of SA.
