Cape Town - After almost two years there is still no end in sight to the alleged victimisation and harassment of a brigadier of the Family Violence and Child Protection Unit by her superior and other colleagues.
Even though Brigadier Sonja Harri has written to all senior structures and management of the police, including the minister, national commissioner and provincial commissioner, charges brought against her by her superior have not been dropped.
On Thursday the Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union (Popcru) said they were demanding the charges of misconduct against Harri be dropped.
Provincial secretary Mncedisi Mbolekwa said the union believed their member was being victimised because of the infighting in the Western Cape SAPS.
The condemnation came after what the union called unjustified charges of misconduct and delays after disciplinary proceedings were brought against Harri in 2017.
In the letter to the office of the national and provincial commissioner Harri said she is a victim of a concerted campaign to attack her dignity, undermine her authority and destroy her credibility as a senior officer.
According to the letter, as a result of ill-treatment, she was booked off sick with major depression and anxiety disorder by a psychiatrist in April 2017 after campaigns marked by incidents of humiliation, belittling and compromising her dignity and psychological well-being began from the date her superior took over.
On Thursday, Mbolekwa said the ongoing infighting in the SAPS was worrying because the police were assigned by the government to fight crime and not fight among themselves for positions.
“As the union we will defend the officer, she is experienced in her job.
“This is causing a lot of strain to the officer, we feel the charges should be dropped so that, she can perform her duties effectively.
“The infighting is demoralising, and makes it impossible for the police to do their job properly and serve the communities.
“We believe Brigadier Harri is being victimised because some people don’t want her.
“We are convinced she will win the case against her bosses because the disciplinary hearing is baseless,” Mbolekwa said.
Member of Parliament’s portfolio committee on police Leonard Ramatlakane said the matter concerning Harri was raised in the committee last year but he was surprised it was not dealt with.
“Yes, I raised the matter of Brigadier Harri with the portfolio committee, but I am disturbed that nothing has been done yet. The problem is infighting within the top management, the matter was taken to the present commissioner Thembinkosi Jula for attention, and he promised to resolve the matter,” said Ramatlakane.
“His office promised they would follow on the matter and resolve it, but we will continue to attend to the matter as portfolio committee members.”
In response to the allegations and the pending disciplinary hearing against Harri, provincial police spokesperson Brigadier Novela Potelwa said: “The matter referred to is between the employer and the employee.
“It is on this basis that we wish not to discuss it in the public domain.”
Community Safety MEC Alan Winde called on Jula to investigate unqualified promotions believed to be conducted in the Western Cape SAPS.
“The police service is the only body that is constitutionally mandated to prevent combat and investigate crime, to protect and serve the inhabitants of the republic, and should do so without fear or favour,” he said.
“We cannot have incompetent, unqualified, inexperienced individuals in leadership positions as this increases pressure on already under-resourced police service which is currently plagued by infighting among the provincial leadership.
@TheCapeArgus