Cape Town - Friends and comrades of provincial police commissioner Jeremy Vearey have called a recommendation to have him dismissed a strategic attack to get rid of former MK vets who were top coloured police officers.
The recommendation comes after he faced a disciplinary hearing for a Facebook post he allegedly made degrading the image of the South African Police in February.
In his post, Vearey said: “Time longer than rope,” where he shared a news story about National Commissioner Khehla Sithole, in which President Cyril Ramaphosa had requested him to hand over all documents relating to the attempted unlawful procurement.
One of Vearey’s oldest friends and comrades, Michael Jacobs, said he was willing to go on record to defend him because it was nothing but a propaganda attack against coloureds who were senior police officers.
He referenced Anti-Gang Unit head, Brigadier Andre Lincoln who is facing an internal investigation after he allegedly failed to secure the safety of his commander, Lieutenant Colonel Charl Kinnear, who was assassinated outside of his home in September last year in Bishop Lavis.
He also named former Hawks head, Anwar Dramat and Lieutenant-General Peter Jacobs.
The former Crime Intelligence boss, had been suspended for three months and returned to service recently after being charged with misconduct over the alleged unlawful use of a secret slush fund to bankroll Covid-19 personal protective equipment, totalling, R1.5 million.
He had faced a disciplinary with the Labour Court.
Jacobs (Michael) said the political attack had been ongoing for more than a decade because the group had been behind bringing down high-flyers and gangs and rooting out drugs.
“It's a strategy compromised by top policing officials to allegedly get rid of our coloured former MK top cops,” said Jacobs.(Michael)
“First it was Major General Andre Lincoln, followed by former Hawks head Anwar Dramat and now their focus on Lieutenant General Peter Jacobs and again on Andre Lincoln.
“For 15 years and more generals Andre Lincoln, Peter Jacobs and Jeremy Vearey were allegedly politically persecuted by DA politicians in the Western Cape and they were frequently targeted in provincial legislature sittings.
“All of those targeted have been instrumental in bringing gang and known underworld figures to book and it is also through their efforts that a number of alleged high-profile gang leaders.”
“So who is really benefiting from these politically inspired attacks on our former coloured MK generals?”
Yesterday afternoon, via his Facebook account Vearey posted a quote from Oscar Wilde: “...I insisted that so-called forgeries are merely the result of an artistic desire for perfect representation, that we have no right to quarrel with the artist for the conditions under which he chooses to present his work..”
Close friends and colleagues of Vearey confirmed to Weekend Argus that he had been dismissed and said it was a political attack.
Vearey did not respond to queries for comment.
Vearey, who is also well-known for his biography, Jeremy vannie Elsies, is a poet and was once the bodyguard of former president, Nelson Mandela.
National police spokesperson, Brigadier Vish Naidoo said they were deciding whether to issue a media statement about the outcome of the disciplinary hearing.
“Please allow me to reiterate that the SAPS does not provide details of any internal processes of the police in the public domain. However, we may consider issuing a media statement depending on the outcome of disciplinary matters. I trust that you will find this in order,” he said.
Weekend Argus