A SLIP of the finger will cost the taxpayer dearly after the SA National Defence Force promoted the wrong employee to the rank of brigadier-general. The intention was to promote Dobbie Coetzee, and not Danie Coetzee. But an official pressed the wrong button and mistakenly promoted Danie Coetzee.
His promotion was withdrawn a few days later when the error was discovered. Dobbie was granted the promotion, but this left Danie devastated. He fought for his promotion since 2014, but the chief of the army was adamant that the job was Dobbie’s.
Danie, who retired last month, insisted that he wanted what he briefly had and turned to the Gauteng High Court, Pretoria, to state his case.
He wanted the court to force the SANDF to give him backpay for the last five years - being the difference between what he earned as a major and what he would have earned as a brigadier-general.
Danie stated in court papers that he was elated when his name was published in the defence bulletin in December 2013 as part of the promotions earmarked by the SANDF. He was even more ecstatic when he saw that it was “to the substantive rank of brigadier-general”.
On January 14, 2014, the SA Army Headquarters issued a formal confirmation that he was to be promoted.
But three days later he was called on official orders by another brigadier-general, who handed him a letter that his promotion had been withdrawn. No reason was given.
Danie meanwhile saw an official notice that Dobbie Coetzee, who shared the same initials, was promoted to this rank. A week later, the chief of the army handed him a letter stating that an error was made with both the force number and the initials “DJ” when the promotions were promulgated. He was told the SANDF had the right to correct the mistake.
But Danie was adamant that his initials and force number appeared on the official bulletin and that there was no error. He lodged a grievance with the Grievance Board and the Military Ombudsman but received no feedback for months and sought legal advice.
Nearly a year later the Grievance Board said his appointment was an administrative oversight. Nothing came of his complaint to the Military Ombudsman. Danie told Judge David Unterhalter he had the qualifications and the experience to be promoted to the rank of brigadier-general. “I have served the SANDF for 35 years and I have an untainted service record”
He said he felt humiliated and degraded as everyone saw the bulletin which announced his promotion, before it was taken away from him.
Chief of the SANDF, General Solly Shoke, in his answering papers said there was no vacancy to promote Danie. “Nor does the department have the budget His name was never discussed during succession planning "
Shoke said when he signed he was not aware that the wrong person was being proposed for promotion. “Such error was not deliberate or negligent It is humanly impossible for me to know force numbers and initials by heart.” Judge Unterhalter ordered that Danie was entitled to backpay and benefits, as if he was promoted to the rank of brigadier-general.