Johannesburg - Former police crime intelligence head Richard Mdluli failed to attend an unfair labour practice case involving his former unit on Monday, despite having been subpoenaed to give evidence, Solidarity said.
The case involves Colonel Kobus Roos, represented by Solidarity, who claimed to have tried for years to expose corruption in the police.
Roos was moved from his position as acting head of crime intelligence's internal audit division by Mdluli, after making a protected disclosure containing allegations and proof of corruption in the unit.
Roos is currently with the crime intelligence unit's inspection and evaluation division. This division was never functional and is currently closed.
Solidarity approached the Johannesburg Labour Court in a bid to get Roos reinstated to his previous position at the internal audit division, arguing that he had virtually no work to do in his current post and was subjected to unbearable working conditions.
Solidarity spokesman Johan Kruger said that Mdluli was expected to be one of the SAPS's chief witnesses.
“Although the court case, in essence, deals with unfair labour practice, it is inevitable that the nature and findings of Roos's probes would also be raised.”
Had Mdluli taken the stand, details of Roos's findings would have emerged.
“Therefore, it does not come as a surprise that Mdluli did not show up at court. “
Instead, Solidarity would investigate the possibility of bringing the evidence uncovered in the course of the lawsuit to the Public Protector's attention.
According to Kruger the SA Police Service's legal team on Monday conceded that Roos had been unfairly treated.
“The court also ordered the SAPS to pay Solidarity's legal costs in full,” he said.
When the case resumed on Tuesday, the police would provide a list of comparable positions that Roos could choose from.
Kruger said that closing arguments would be presented on Tuesday, and that the court had yet to rule on what compensation Roos might be entitled to.
Sapa