20/05/2015. Police Reservists under the banner of SAPS Reservist Forum marching from Marabastad to the SAPS Head Office in Pretoria to hand over a memorandum of Demands. Picture: Oupa Mokoena 20/05/2015. Police Reservists under the banner of SAPS Reservist Forum marching from Marabastad to the SAPS Head Office in Pretoria to hand over a memorandum of Demands. Picture: Oupa Mokoena
Johannesburg - The South African Police Service (SAPS) management has told reservists who protested about not being absorbed into the force to apply for permanent positions, a spokesman said on Friday.
A group of reservists who unlawfully protested at the SAPS Head Office yesterday, have been told to follow the proper recruitment procedures if they want to be permanently enlisted in the police forces, said Brigadier Vishnu Naidoo in a statement.
“‘While we are sympathetic to their cries for employment, it will set a very bad precedent if SAPS give in to demands to employ people who do not meet the necessary requirements.”
He said the SAPS was “currently in the process of identifying those involved in the unlawful march yesterday for the purpose of instituting departmental action against them”.
The SAPS Public Order Police Unit had to be called in to disperse the demonstrators, Naidoo said.
He called on all active reservists to apply for permanent positions when posts were advertised, on condition that they meet the requirements for enlistment as stated in the advertisement.
The reservists who protested are part of a large reservist police force that volunteer their services without any form of remuneration. These reservists, who have particular set of skills used within the police force, help to safeguard their communities, a service that forms part of the SAPS’ Community Policing philosophy.
Naidoo said reservists were remunerated occasionally when they were called up for duty, “on condition that specific operational needs existed at provincial or station level and that call up was approved prior to execution of duties”.
He emphasised that when the reservists signed up with SAPS in a voluntary capacity, they were aware of the non-remuneration aspect, and “even sign certificates and undertakings” to this effect.
Naidoo added that the SAPS had to date, already employed up to 12 227 reservists as permanent members and public services acts personnel within the SAPS. This number, he said, includes 1 586 security guards.
“We simply cannot take on people who do not meet our requirements,” said Naidoo.
ANA