Cape Town - The Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union (Popcru) has lodged a grievance with national police management after the demotion of two seasoned Cape crimefighters.
Major-General Jeremy Vearey and Major-General Peter Jacobs were informed by the national police head office last week about the change, without consultation.
Vearey, the former deputy provincial commissioner for detective services, and Jacobs, the Western Cape’s former crime intelligence boss, had to report for duty as cluster commanders for Cape Town and Wynberg, respectively, on Monday.
Although national police spokeswoman Brigadier Mashadi Selepe stressed that the deployment of senior managers and employees could not be construed as a demotion, Popcru is adamant due process was not followed.
Popcru’s provincial secretary, Mncedisi Mbolekwa, confirmed that Vearey and Jacobs’s old posts had already been filled.
Mbolekwa said the members who now occupied the posts should be mindful that “things could change” again. With the grievance filed on behalf of their members, Mbolekwa said the grievance procedure allows for 30 days, and if not settled, the matter could go to arbitration.
Although Popcru was mum on who would take over from Vearey and Jacobs, police sources said seasoned investigator Major-General Johan Brand would replace Vearey, while embattled crime intelligence boss Mzwandile Tiyo, who acted in the post prior to Jacobs’s appointment, would head the unit again.
In January 2014, Tiyo, whose name was on the so-called police purge list, was removed as acting crime intelligence head in the Western Cape.
Tiyo was the complainant in the case against national police commissioner Riah Phiyega, who was investigated after he reportedly heard her allegedly tipping off Western Cape police commissioner Arno Lamoer that crime intelligence and the Hawks were investigating him.
Brand headed the Mitchells Plain station before being promoted to Khayelitsha cluster commander.
Brand and Tiyo could not be reached for comment on Monday.
Cape Argus