National Police Day: Mthethwa must put his money where his mouth is and appoint best candidates
The recent intention of Nathi Mthethwa, Minister of Police, to ensure that the best candidates are selected to join the South African Police Service (SAPS), is being undermined by affirmative action, trade union Solidarity today said on the occasion of National Police Day. The trade union sent a letter to the minister, requesting him to give a clear instruction that race should not play a role in new appointments and promotions made within the SAPS.
Dirk Groenewald, Head of Solidarity's Centre for Fair Labour Practices, welcomed Mthethwa's intention, but is sceptical whether it would be applied in practice. ‘It is clear from the SAPS's actions over the past few years that race trumps all other considerations such as merit.
From April 2012 to March 2013, the police had appointed 1 907 new recruits of whom 91% were black people. Only 6,4% (or 122) were coloured people; 1,2% (or 22) were Indian; and 1,4% (or 27) were white South Africans. There is an impression that preference is being given to black people and even with the intake process there is an impression that other race groups do not feel welcome in the police service.'
Groenewald says the feeling is justified when taking stock of promotions within the SAPS. ‘In 2011, during the first phase of the new ranking system, a total of 3 817 police officials, 356 of whom were white, were promoted to the rank of lieutenant.
A total of 812 police officers, none of whom were white, were promoted to the rank of captain, while a total of 513 police officials, 48 of whom were white officials, were promoted to the rank of major.' In March 2013, the Labour Court in Johannesburg stopped all promotions to be made in terms of the second phase of the new ranking system.
An interdict was granted to Solidarity after the trade union had argued that the promotions amounted to the imposition of race quotas. In March 2012, Minister Mthethwa confirmed in Parliament that the number of promotions was allocated strictly according to race quotas.
Groenewald says the police's race practices are discouraging the very individuals the minister was keen to have in the SAPS. ‘Although there are more than enough opportunities for black people to excel in the police service, very few coloured, Indian and white people consider a career in the police as they are deprived of promotion opportunities because of the police's obsession with race.'
In the letter to the minister, Solidarity also indicates that the police service in its entirety has already reached government's targets for race representivity, and that the current appointment trends would eventually result in there being no coloured, Indian or white people left in the police service.
‘The time has come for the minister to confirm that race would not be considered above merit. By doing this, the minister would signal to coloured, Indian and white South Africans that the SAPS really wants the best employees regardless of race.'
Statement issued by Dirk Groenewald, Head: Centre for Fair Labour Practices, Solidarity, January 27 2014
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