Cape Town – Another qualification saga has hit the DA-led City, which has had to institute disciplinary action against a metro police department employee for allegedly not having a matric certificate.
In a post on social media on Friday, it was alleged that Anika Kotze, who works for the City’s metro police department as a constable, did not have a matric certificate and that her seniors were apparently aware of this.
Metro police chief Wayne le Roux yesterday said: “Since the department became aware of this matter, an investigation was launched, which has resulted in disciplinary action being instituted against the member.
’’The member has since been removed from operational uniform duties and placed in a non-operational capacity until the conclusion of the disciplinary process.”
Good party secretary-general Brett Herron said qualifications scandals brought to light recently were about fair process and governance.
“When people are appointed to positions they are not qualified for it is impossible for the City to claim good governance. It’s a failure of good governance when individuals, applicants or bosses can outmanoeuvre the process and the job requirements to benefit an individual,” said Herron.
ANC caucus leader Xolani Sotashe said those who were part of the hiring process should face disciplinary steps.
“Surely, somebody was covering up the matter. Why did they bypass the recruitment policy which will specify the relevant qualifications? Not only the member must be disciplined but also those who conducted interviews,” said Sotashe
Meanwhile, the DA yesterday said its federal legal commission (FLC) investigation into the qualifications of Saldanha Bay mayor Marius Koen was continuing.
In a video on social media earlier this month, Koen said he had received “continuous attacks” in relation to what he studied and where he studied and he wanted to set the record straight.
“I will not allow for this onslaught to continue. It is quite clear this is the only strategy certain individuals can follow,” he said.
Koen said in 1999 he was accepted by the University of Hull in the UK for an external programme for MBA. The university approved all his academics and he submitted his dissertation in 2002, he said.
“It is unacceptable the continuous attacks that I have been enduring the past four and a half years, enough is enough. There is a fine line between playing politics and defamation of character.”
DA national spokesperson Siviwe Gwarube said the FLC would brief the Federal Executive on its findings once they are completed and the FedEx will communicate its decision to the affected parties, party structures and the public.
SACP district secretary Lucky Bopape said “failure” by the DA to act was “not a surprise”.
“We hope the mayor can put the public and his council in confidence by presenting his qualifications to the public which he failed to present in his clip on social media.
’’The numbness of the DA to act on its white counterparts is not a surprise as it is a historically racist organisation,” he said.
Cape Times