The Courts will review an interdict granted by the labour court on 14 March, preventing the Minister of Police, Nathi Mthethwa from dismissing 1017 policemen with criminal records.
The Courts will review an interdict granted by the labour court on 14 March, preventing the Minister of Police, Nathi Mthethwa from dismissing 1017 policemen with criminal records.
The interdict will be reviewed on Thursday 17 April.
Most of the policemen in question are members of the Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union (POPCRU) and are being represented by Grahamstown attorneys, Wheeldon, Rushmere & Cole, which is acting on behalf of the trade union.
On Thursday, April 10, however, Mthethwa, issued a statement indicating his intention to dismiss 1017 policemen with criminal records.
The minister had previously ordered an audit which identified 1448 SAPS members as having criminal records pertaining to past offences.
Mthethwa, via his acting spokesman, David Barritt, said, "SAPS is in the process of removing 1,017 officers while another 67 have left the service," News 24 reported.
"After following the correct legal and labour processes, SAPS is now satisfied that 1,017 of its members are no longer fit to serve," said the statement.
The official statement also notes that 300 remaining police officers were still due to appear before the fitness board, before their fate on the police force could be determined.
"Only time will tell whether the Minister will proceed with this mass dismissal of the policemen – a process which will be in contravention of the recent court interdict," said the attorneys, in a statement issued to the media.
