Labour Court sets aside 'demotion' of 2 Western Cape top cops
3 August 2017
Cape Town - The Labour Court has found in favour of two high-ranking Western Cape policemen, who approached it as they believed they were unfairly demoted.
The court set aside their demotions on Thursday.
In June 2016, Major-General Jeremy 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.
Major-General Peter Jacobs, who headed the province's crime intelligence unit, was appointed Wynberg cluster commander.
They found these moves unfair.
The two policemen, supported by Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union (Popcru), took the matter to the Cape Town Labour Court.
Major-General Patrick Mbotho replaced Vearey, while Major-General Mzwandile Tiyo replaced Jacobs.
During the case, it emerged that Tiyo did not have the security clearance required for access to the sensitive information, which he would need to do his job properly.
Vearey and Jacobs were both instrumental in a gun smuggling investigation, said to be the biggest of its kind in South Africa.
In May, Vearey told News24 that police and crime intelligence officers were conspiring with politicians and gangsters in an ongoing attempt to derail critical investigations.
While Vearey did not detail which investigations, News24 understands the firearms matter is one of these.
