/ 20 January 2010

CCMA postpones McBride hearing

The CCMA has postponed hearings into former Ekurhuleni police chief Robert McBride’s attempts to get his job back pending the outcome of a Salga case.

The Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) was to have resumed its hearings of the matter on Wednesday, said CCMA director Nerine Kahn.

However, the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality obtained an order from the Johannesburg Labour Court on Monday preventing the CCMA from proceeding, she said.

The order was granted on the basis that a case was proceeding in the SA Local Government Association (Salga) bargaining council. The CCMA would comply with the order, Kahn said.

No date had been set for the resumption of the CCMA hearing. This would depend on the finalisation of the other case.

Reinstated
McBride wants to be reinstated in his job after his dismissal in September 2008 while on special leave, pending the completion of his trial for allegedly being under the influence of alcohol when he crashed his car in Centurion in December 2006.

He was sacked after publicly stepping in to help deal with xenophobic attacks in 2008.

Even though his contract with the municipality ended in November 2008, McBride has contended he had been led to believe he would be kept on until the world cup.

He argued in the CCMA that his dismissal was unfair and in violation of his collective agreement.

McBride is on trial in the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court on charges of driving under the influence of alcohol, reckless or negligent driving, defeating the ends of justice and fraud relating to the crash on the R511. The case is expected to resume on March 23.

A doctor accused of giving McBride a false medical certificate after the crash went on trial in the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday on charges of fraud and defeating the ends of justice.

Dr Joseph Moratioa has pleaded not guilty. His trial continues on March 1. — Sapa