Minority groups get the short end of the stick when it comes to promotions in Mpumalanga police force

28 September 2021

It is clear from the reply by the Mpumalanga MEC for Community Safety, Vusi Shongwe, to an official question from the FF Plus that minority groups get the short end of the stick when it comes to promotions in the province's police force.

In the 2019/20 financial year, only two white male officers and one coloured male officer were promoted in contrast to the promotion of 43 black officers.

In the 2018/19 financial year, only one white male officer was promoted from captain to lieutenant colonel. In the same period, 48 black police officers received promotions.

No white nor coloured officers were promoted in the 2021/22 financial year, in stark contrast to the promotion of 33 black officers.

No Indian officers were promoted in any of these financial years.

According to the provincial equity report, there is less than 6% white, less than 1% coloured and just 0,3% Indian officers in the Mpumalanga police force. Black police officers, on the other hand, comprise 93,34% of the police force.

The stringent enforcement of the ANC government's policy of Affirmative Action (AA) is clearly oppressing expert and seasoned police members from minority groups.

According to former police members, who have opted to leave the service over the past two years, they had no choice but to find alternative employment in the private sector due to a lack of possible promotions and unacceptable working conditions.

The Mpumalanga police force is already struggling due to a lack of expertise and training, as is reflected in the low level of weapon competency among officers, which has recently come into the spotlight more than once.

For the sake of Mpumalanga residents' safety and security, and for rural safety in particular, it is imperative that expertise is not only retained, but also transferred to inexperienced members of the force.

The FF Plus has always held the opinion that the best person for the job must be appointed, regardless of skin colour.

The best possible police force is needed to effectively combat crimes like murder, robbery and rape in South Africa. Per definition, any person who deliberately weakens the efficiency of the force, must be held accountable as an accomplice to crime that may otherwise have been prevented.

The FF Plus demands that the provincial Police Commissioner, Lt.-Gen. Semakaleng Manamela, must appear before the Legislature's Portfolio Committee on Community Safety to answer questions about alleged discrimination with promotions.

Issued by Werner Weber, FF Plus MPL and provincial leader: Mpumalanga, 28 September 2021