Cape Town - The South African National Civic Organisation (Sanco) has commended a group of black police officers at a Pretoria police station who spoke out against the alleged racist abuse dished out by a superior officer.
Sanco said that according to Lawyers for Human Rights (LHR)‚ black police officers at the police station in Pretoria had filed both internal and criminal complaints against the officer for numerous alleged acts of racism against them.
“The complainants in this matter accuse their superior (the captain) of referring to them by the k-word and verbally harassing them‚” Sanco quoted LHR as saying.
"We expect the court to assert new values of equality and respect for human rights enshrined in the constitution because there is no place for racists in the public service and broadly in the united, non-racial, non-sexist, peaceful and democratic society we are striving to create," said Sanco spokesperson, Jabu Mahlangu, ahead of the appearance of the officer in court.
Mahlangu said that that the matter should not have been allowed to drag on for two years to the extent that it remains unresolved and before a court of law.
He said that enforcement of the public service code of conduct through internal disciplinary processes should have assisted to clamp down on alleged racist behaviour.
"Whoever failed to deal with the misconduct must also face disciplinary action for abdicating their responsibility, leading to polarised racial relations in the workplace," he said.
Mahlangu said that only a transformed police service will be able to deal with the scourge of racism that undermines national unity, reconciliation and social cohesion.
"Those who can’t bring themselves to accept the new order must vacate the public service or be sent packing," he added.