1,083 JMPD Recruits Caught In Crossfire Of ANC-dA Power Tussle

A power tussle between the African National Congress (ANC) and the Democratic Alliance (DA) in the City of Joburg has left 1,083 JMPD recruits caught in the crossfire and could cost the taxpayer more money.

Mayor Geoff Makhubo recalled the recruits to the JMPD academy but DA councillor and former MMC, Michael Sun, said on Wednesday that it was senseless and pure politicking.

Makhubo’s spokesperson Mlimandlela Ndamase maintained on Tuesday that the officers were not ready but that they were paraded to bolster someone’s personal agenda at the time.

Did the JMPD academy under former Mayor Herman Mashaba pass 1,083 police recruits before they were ready?

Mayor Makhubo believes so and he has ordered that they should be retrained.

Spokesperson Mlimandlela Ndamase: “They must be recalled to the academy so that they can complete their training and are properly empowered and then deployed once they have completed all the modules necessary for one to be a qualified municipal police official.”

But DA councillor Sun, who was Community Safety MMC under Mashaba when the recruits participated in their pass out parade, said that the officers completed 18 months of training and it was unthinkable that all of them were unfit.

“The environment may be challenging. We need to ensure that they get the full support and the necessary training and equipment they need but this must not be done on the whim of a political decision.”

Sun disagreed that should the officers be found unfit, he should be held accountable.

Meanwhile, the city said that it was engaging sponsors to foot the bill for both the retraining and the temporary points officers, who would be deployed during the retraining.

EWN