GCWALISILE KHANYILE
DURBAN - THE Hawks in KwaZulu-Natal have been fingered for overlooking suitable candidates allegedly recommended by an interview panel and the national head.
Officers tasked with investigating serious matters of fraud, corruption and commercial crimes were themselves at loggerheads with their employer over promotions.
An officer, who did not want to be named for fear of being victimised, said the delay in resolving the matter was causing too much strain on them.
The delay was robbing them of the perks that came with the adjusted rank, he said.
“For two years, I have been waiting for the recommendations to be effected, but nothing has been done so far. Instead, another officer who was not recommended got promoted,” the officer said.
He added that the delay in the processes were also hampering him and other officers from applying for other posts that were being advertised.
“It would be better if the matters were finalised so that we would be able to move on.
“Now we have matters that are sitting at the Safety and Security Sectoral Bargaining Council, without any progress,” the officer said.
According to papers seen by the Daily News, posts were advertised at the Directorate for Priority Crimes Investigation (DPCI), also known as the Hawks, KZN in 2018, and in January 2019 all shortlisted candidates were interviewed by a panel.
The panel made recommendations for candidates to be promoted. The recommendations were signed and the National Head of the Hawks approved.
KwaZulu-Natal’s Popcru secretary-general Nthabiseng Molefe said the matters were before the Safety and Security Sectoral Bargaining Council (SSBC).
Molefe urged members to be patient.
“Members must wait until the whole process is finalised, as we are representing them and dealing with their matters,” Molefe said.
She said the arbitrations were currently sitting virtually, as there was a backlog, which occurred when all processes were stopped due to Covid-19.
“When the arbitration sits, the SSSBC appoints an independent person to deal with the matter. The decision will be taken at the arbitration.”
National Head of the Hawks, Lieutenant Godfrey Lebeya, could not comment on the specific details of this matter, as he requested information that would reveal the identities of the officials.
He said they did have a number of matters at the SSSBC.
“The fact that the matter is at the SSSBC shows that the members have followed internal procedures of lodging grievances.
“We have to ascertain that the candidate has an NQF 6, and the required number of credits. Upon verification processes there were members in other provinces who were left out, while others were cleared and given what was due to them,” Lebeya said.
When he first arrived at the DPCI, there were similar cases of people recommended but not being given their posts, he said.
Daily News