Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union (Popcru) scored a monumental policy victory this week as expeditious disciplinary measures in the SAPS take a back seat to fair hearings and due process.
Popcru successfully stopped the controversial Regulation 9 of the South African Police Service Act, originally designed to swiftly address serious misconduct. However, according to Popcru, the policy quickly devolved into a nightmare.
Officers found themselves hurtling down a bureaucratic fasttrack to unemployment,
often without the courtesy of a fair hearing or the opportunity to defend themselves.
At a recent Safety and Security Sectoral Bargaining Council meeting, SAPS management finally conceded that using a process that skips fair hearings and rapid-fire dismissals was not the best idea.
SAPS agreed to halt all ongoing cases and manage them centrally at the head office.
This new measure will remain in place until the minister of police formally amends the disciplinary regulations.
Popcru president Thulani Ngwenya, one of the loudest critics of Regulation 9, said in a statement on Friday that the regulation turned the principle of natural justice into a distant memory.
According to Ngwenya, the expeditious process unfairly targeted SAPS members, jeopardising not just their careers but also their last shred of dignity.
“This win marks a turning point in the ongoing battle to ensure that SAPS members are treated with the dignity they deserve. The expeditious process was fundamentally flawed, unfairly targeting members.
“We are encouraged by the fact that SAPS management has recognised these issues, and we will continue working to ensure that the expeditious process is permanently removed from disciplinary regulations,” he said.
The union called on members to continue supporting its efforts and remain disciplined as Popcru pushed for further reforms to the SAPS’ procedures.
“The fight against the expeditious disciplinary process is part of Popcru’s broader struggle to ensure that all workers, not just those in the SAPS, are treated with dignity and respect in the workplace.
“While disciplinary procedures are necessary to maintain order, they must be conducted in a manner that respects all employees’ rights.
“We are advocating for a system that balances the need for responsive action with the requirement for fair and thorough hearings. This will protect our members’ rights while ensuring the SAPS is better equipped to uphold its constitutional mandate to serve and protect.”
