Solidarity declares dispute with SAPS following unfair dismissal 

4 June 2018

Trade union Solidarity today announced that it had lodged an unfair dismissal dispute with the South African Police Service (SAPS) at the Safety and Security Sectoral Bargaining Council (SSSBC).

This comes after Major-General Renee Fick, the Deputy Provincial Commissioner responsible for asset control in the Western Cape, was dismissed from the SAPS without any prior warning 11 May 2018.

According to Solidarity Deputy General Secretary Schalk de Bruin, the SAPS contends that Maj.-Gen. Fick had failed to give effect to notices she had received from the acting Provincial Commissioner, Maj.-Gen. Manchi. Those notices pertained to the transfer of two officers.

De Bruin pointed out that no written instructions providing clarity on what Maj. Gen. Fick was supposed to do with the notices had accompanied the files. De Bruin also said that no instruction was given to Maj.-Gen. Fick when the files were handed to her. “In the absence of clear instructions it was impossible for Maj.-Gen. Fick to carry out the instruction properly,” De Bruin contended.

According to De Bruin, Maj.-Gen. Fick had made an enquiry with the Provincial Head of Financial Management and Administration to whom the officers in question reported to, but he had no knowledge about the transfers either.

“Maj.-Gen. Fick was dismissed without any warning and this despite the fact that she is an employee who carries out her duties in an excellent and purposeful way. Given the facts of the matter it is clear that Maj.-Gen. Fick had been victimised, and Solidarity will not just let the matter pass,” De Bruin said.

Issued by Schalk de Bruin, Solidarity Deputy General Secretary, 4 June 2018