Riah Phiyega must explain in court about Roos

16 January 2015

The Labour Court in Johannesburg today ordered National Police Commissioner, Riah Phiyega, to personally testify in court soon in connection with Solidarity's court case against the South African Police Service (SAPS) on the appointment of Col Kobus Roos.

The Labour Court last year ordered that Phiyega had to ensure that Col Roos be appointed in a similar position as the one he had previously held. Roos used to be head of the internal audit department of the police's crime intelligence unit before being unilaterally transferred to another department by Richard Mdluli, suspended head of the crime intelligence unit.

The court further ruled that should no post be available for Roos in this unit he had to be offered a similar position in the SAPS as alternative. However, Col Roos has still not been appointed in a post similar to his previous position.

"In terms of today's ruling, the National Police Commissioner would have to explain to an open court why she doesn't want to appoint Roos within the crime intelligence unit while a vacancy for him exists. It seems the police has an ulterior motive by refusing Roos an appointment in this unit," Dirk Groenewald, Head of Solidarity's Centre for Fair Labour Practices, says.

Groenewald says that with this court case Solidarity seeks to redress the injustice committed to its member.

Statement issued by Dirk Groenewald, Head: Centre for Fair Labour Practices, Solidarity, January 16 2015

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