By Nkhensane Hlangwane
2015/11/26
The City of Tshwane has come out in defense against accusations from the DA that the City is refusing over 200 of the Tshwane Metro Police Department cadets to graduate.
The City said the requirements for cadets to graduate and become metro police officers, a candidate must first pass the Traffic to Police course which is administered by the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC). The second part compromises of elective courses for Police Officers which are conducted by the South African Police Service (SAPS).
Tshwane Mayor, Mr Kgosientso Ramokgopa, made a promise in his State of the City Address that the 2200 trainees that were accepted will formally graduate to be deployed to all 105 wards across Tshwane resulting in the realization of ten officers per ward.
The DA feels that the Tshwane executive Mayor failed to stick to his promise when it was announced that only a certain number of trainees will undergo graduation on the 1st December 2015 and not the exact number that the Mayor had promised.
In a statement the DA said it is planning to seek an urgent interdict in the North Gauteng High Court to stop the City from excluding over 200 metro police department trainees from attending graduations on Tuesday, 1st of December.
The DA believes that these cadets were unfairly dismissed as the TMPD fails to provide their exam marked scripts or schedule supplementary exams for them. The have also not received their monthly stipend on time. The cadets also feel that the TMPD recruitment has become a patronage system and cadets who do not have connections in the department are not recruited, despite successfully completing the training program.
In response to allegations made by the DA, the City called on the Cadets who did not make it to look for other opportunities.
“Unsuccessful cadets should desist the temptation of being used as electioneering fodder, but rather continue to seek new opportunities, and use their experience from the academy to further advance their skills and knowledge based on the various programs the City is offering,”said Mayor Ramokgopa.
