Cape Town - A senior City of Cape Town traffic officer was allegedly told by his bosses that the junior officer who apparently swore at him and threatened to “f**** him up” cannot be charged or sanctioned as he had a new car and house.
The incident allegedly happened in front of the officer’s colleagues. Instead of facing disciplinary action, the junior officer was allegedly transferred to work in Bellville.
This was one of many complaints of alleged biased disciplinary procedures, victimisation and favouritism towards white staff, the South African Municipal Workers’ Union (Samwu) said it has received.
As a result, a march against the City and in defence of workers' rights is planned for Saturday.
But the City insists it has dealt with all disciplinary matters fairly, reasonably consistently and without racial discrimination.
Speaking to the Cape Times, the senior traffic officer, who asked not to be named for fear of victimisation, said that last April he was about to delegate duties of the day to his team when he noticed a fight was about to erupt.
“The (junior) officer was exchanging words with his colleague, who seemed calm and was sitting down, while he was on his feet. I saw him pointing at him with his finger and getting close, and as their supervisor I had to intervene. I called the officer by his surname, begging him to remain calm and stop what he was doing because it's unacceptable in the workplace. That’s when he turned and disrespected me in front of my subordinates.”
The senior traffic officer claims the junior threatened and shouted at him.
“He threatened to mess me up, addressing me in all the swear words you can think of. Another staff member who was in the corridor came inside and took him out. A few minutes later he came back banging the door, still furious. I reported the incident to my immediate supervisor who advised that I write a statement with the witness. In the email we copied the chief inspector and other high-ranking officials in the department.”
He said no sort of action was taken against the junior officer; instead, the following day he was requested to drop the complaint.
“The explanation was that the officer just bought a new car, house and that his wife was pregnant, and he cannot afford to be charged and sanctioned. The higher officials informed me that if I continue to pursue the case after they begged me not to, I will draft my own charges, find my own chairperson and all other steps that are required for a disciplinary to take place. I was so shocked.”
He said a month later the junior traffic officer was transferred to work in Bellville and instead he started being victimised.
“Today there are about three disciplinary cases I’m facing for allegedly being insubordinate of my supervisors. One of the matters (is) a pending incident that’s not related to work but I face charges at work. There is just a lot of favouritism towards other people, especially white staff,” he said.
City spokesperson, Luthando Tyhalibongo confirmed an incident of insubordination last year where the employee’s senior failed to take the proper disciplinary action against the staff member.
“The mentioned senior staff member is the same individual who lodged the complaint with Samwu. This individual is currently the subject of a disciplinary hearing for being insubordinate against line management on various occasions. The complainant’s disciplinary hearing is currently in progress. The city conducts all its disciplinary processes in a fair manner, free of racial discrimination, and as consistent as reasonably possible,” said Tyhalibongo.
The City said it was aware of Samwu’s planned march.
Samwu regional secretary Mikel Kumalo said City staff were constantly facing charges and sanctioned if it was discovered that family members or spouses were running businesses from their homes, however that was not the case in another matter, for a senior law enforcement officer.
“A Mitchells Plain senior law enforcement officer has been running a tuck-shop from Council premises. It has been alleged that some of his products have been taken from the warehouse where the confiscated goods of informal traders are kept.
“A case has been lodged, but unlike other staff who are summarily suspended, this law enforcement officer is allowed to keep on working while his hearing is ongoing, and allowed to intimidate the whistle-blower on a daily basis,” said Khumalo.
However, Tyhalibongo said the matter was “appropriately” dealt with in a disciplinary hearing where the member was charged and found guilty on two charges and appropriately penalised.