Philippa Garson and Jacquie Golding-Duffy
THE South African Police Union (Sapu) has called for the resignation of controversial South African Police Services communications director Craig Kotze who was recently given a permanent job in the force.
Sapu secretary general Peter-Don Brandt said Kotze was “running a union-bashing” exercise and had acted in bad faith by issuing misleading press statements about wage negotiations during the process and had placed police management in an embarrassing predicament.
“Perhaps he is living in the past and thinks unions are to counter-strategise against. Either he or the commissioner does not understand labour rights. We are asking whether he doesn’t have another agenda,” said Brandt.
Brandt said several statements published in the press which he believed had been written by Kotze about pay increase negotiations did not accurately reflect the situation, and had led to considerable confusion within the police.
He also claimed a statement had been issued saying salary increases would come into effect at the end of July this year, when the correct date was a month earlier.
But Kotze, now permanently employed as adviser to national SAPS Commissioner George Fivaz, denied being a “union-basher”. He said “no misleading press statements on the wage talks” were released by himself since all statements issued from Fivaz’s office were personally approved by the commissioner before being released.
“The statements sent out are cleared by Commissioner Fivaz prior to being released,” Kotze said, adding that he “never releases statements in my personal capacity”.
“Maybe the people making these allegations feel they are losing out on the publicity stakes since Commissioner Fivaz has credibility. I can only assume that the unfounded allegations against me and the call for my resignation arebecause they feel outclassed by the commissioner and the scapegoat is me,” Kotze said.
Kotze is one of the police’s most spectacular survivors. He was the longtime righthand man of former law and order minister Adriaan Vlok when he was caught lying about taxpayers’ money donated to Inkatha. Kotze was Vlok’s spokesman at the height of the then-SAP’s cover-ups about third force activities. He then went on to be a major protector of National Party rightwinger Hernus Kriel during his term as police minister.
He got the boot from present police minister Sydney Mufamadi after his contract ran out but was re-hired by the new commissioner George Fivaz after applying for his present post when it was advertised.
Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union
assistant general secretary Jacob Tsumane confirmed that there were some distortions of the neogtiations in the media but said the blame could not necessarily be placed at Kotze’s door.
The salary negotiations, which have resulted in substantial increases for police officers, were clinched in a signed deal this week. Police constables will receive pay increases of 38% to 40% while sergeants will receive hikes of 20-25% and some will receive a 29% increase. Most inspectors will receive 32,5% and others 18% increases. Most captains will receive 39,8% and some 22,3%. Superintendents will receive between 22,3% and 33,6% and senior superintendents will receive 24,4% and in exceptional cases up to 34%. Fivaz will receive a 13,7% increase.
Describing the increases as a “quantum leap” this week, Fivaz said it was a clear signal to embattled police that government, the Safety and Security Ministry and the SAPS management fully appreciated their services.
Outstanding, however, is the issue of overtime pay. The union “does not rule out the possibility of labour action”, said Brandt, unless far more than the proposed R60-million is made available for overtime pay from the police budget.
According to Brandt, an agreement was made
whereby the National Bargaining Forum would release joint statements. Instead, statements were released unilaterally from Fivaz’s office, creating confusion among police officers and embarassment for police management.
Fivaz’s spokesman director Joseph Ngobeni refused to comment on any agreement reached on the alleged release of joint statements other than to say that Fivaz was “advised by many people including Kotze but that this did not mean the commisioner is in any way influenced or manipulated by Kotze or any other advisor.
“In fact, as head of the SAPS, Commissioner Fivaz clears and approves all statements on policy and is the sole decision-maker,” Ngobeni said.
According to Brandt, an agreement was made in March that salary increases were to be effected from July 1. Despite this, a statement was issued from Fivaz’s office, announcing that salary increases be put into effect from July 31, said Brandt.
Ngobeni said the new salary system comes into effect on July 1, with police officials receiving boosted pay packets at the end of July.
Ngobeni says there. was no indication from the police union that they were unhappy with the increases. He said SAPU union executive members attended the press conference held this week together with the commissioner and there was no indication of further disputes.
Brandt described the agreement, which decreases the wage gap between levels, introduces a new salary grading system and a minimum wage for police constables as “history in the making”. The minimum wage for constables who have completed their training is R23 000. Allowances of R200 a month for dangerous work and R300 additional for extra- ordinary exposure to danger will be given. Other allowances, for night duty and stand-by, also will be added on to the pay packet.