Cape Town – Two metro police officers who were dismissed after ammunition was found in their possession have charged that it was planted on them.
Edwin Langeveldt and Hendrik Voigt claim they have been unfairly treated.
“The expert in firearms and ammunition testified in our internal process that balances and checks were done at all the city's armouries and no ammunition seemed to be lost or stolen,” Langeveldt said.
The two were dismissed in 2018. Langeveldt said that in 2011 an officer was found in possession of police ammunition, but he was sanctioned to five days of unpaid leave.
“We would have appreciated if the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) placed our cases on the court roll, then we would have at least had the opportunity to prove credibility and not rely on a balance of probability that the ammunition was planted,” Langeveldt said.
Voigt said the City laid counter-criminal charges against them after they laid charges against the officers they claimed planted the ammunition.
“The internal case was also running at that time. They fired us a week later. Then our case at the CCMA happened and we won that.
"They laid a criminal case against us after we laid cases against those two members. When our case started at the CCMA, we also learnt that another metro officer was found with SAPS rounds and he was not fired and no case was made against him, they just took five days’ salary from him.
"This is the law, there must be consistency in dealing with cases.
“What I’m upset about is that I faced a criminal case and was found not guilty and I won at the CCMA, but I’m still struggling.
"How must I feed my family, I was their breadwinner?” Voigt said. He said he and Langeveldt lodged criminal complaints of entrapment and defeating the ends of justice against the officers involved in the search.
Police spokesperson Mihlali Majikela said: “Both cases were sent to the director of public prosecutions for a decision.”
NPA spokesperson Eric Ntabazalila was not available for comment.
In responding to multiple questions around the incidents and investigations, Richard Bosman, the City's Mayco member for safety and security, said: “The matter is currently at the bargaining council as a dispute. The City of Cape Town cannot comment on the matter.”