SAMWU outraged by allegations of racial profiling within JMPD, calls for accountability and consequence management

5 October 2023

The South African Municipal Workers’ Union (SAMWU) in the Petrus Mashishi (Johannesburg) Region has learnt with great anger and agitation about allegations of racial profiling within the Johannesburg Metro Police Department (JMPD). In social media clips which have since gone viral, an Extended Public Works Programme (EPWP) workers make allegations that out of the group of over 70 trainees, no coloured individual was appointed on a permanent basis. In a separate video, an individual appearing to be a JMPD official is heard saying “you won’t get employed because you are a coloured… when you look at JMPD, we don’t have coloured… going from the high level to low level, we don’t have coloured.”

As SAMWU, we find these remarks to be distasteful, shameful, racist and an insult to coloured people. SAMWU is a non-racist and non-sexist Union and as such, the Union will not allow a situation wherein deserving candidates are denied job opportunities based on the colour of their skin. The dark and painful history of this country has proven that denying people opportunities on the basis of their race has tremendous implications and consequences which continue into future generations.

SAMWU further call for a full investigation into the allegations that have been made that, the Union demands an audit of the intake of JMPD officers in question to determine who was appointed and what influenced the decision to appoint certain officials over others. The Union further demands that the Chief of Police and the MMC for Community Safety should investigate the veracity of the comments made in the second video that alleges the marginalisation of the coloured community.

As SAMWU, we will continue striving to compel municipalities to comply with legislations such as the Basic Conditions of Employment Act and the Employment Equity Act. Residents of this City should be given equal and fair chance at getting employment in line with legislation introduced to address the pain and suffering imposed on Black, Coloured and Indian people for many years.

The Union further calls on the City to do away with recruiting JMPD officials through the EPWP programme but rather ensure that deserving candidate are provided with adequate and effective training that will allow them to be absorbed by into the job market. The use of EPWP and similar programmes have proven to be exploitative to workers, in fact the programme has morphed into a conveyor belt of cheap labour for many municipalities throughout the country.

Lastly, we call on the Chief of Police to ensure that the JMPD gets rid of racist elements within the police force. As SAMWU, we want to see a situation wherein all residents are treated with courtesy as dictated by the Batho Pele principles. We further want to see a City that cares for its residents and workers, irrespective of the colour of their skin.

Issued by Thobani Nkosi, Regional Secretary, SAMWU, 5 October 2023