ACTION SA is the only party that has rejected what it calls the exploitation of Metro Police trainees “under the guise of a new training academy model” after the City of eThekwini’s council proposed and approved the Metro Police Academy last week.

Action SA provincial chairperson Zwakele Mncwango indicated that his party was in full support of the conversion of the existing Durban Metro Academy into a state-of-the-art facility. However, this upgrade must not come at the expense of the recruits.

EThekwini Municipality Deputy Mayor and chairperson of the Safety and Emergency Portfolio Committee, councillor Zandile Myeni, highlighted, “The Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC), the national authority overseeing traffic law enforcement training, issued a directive requiring all traffic officer qualifications to be upgraded to NQF Level 6. This means student officers will now have to undergo a full three-year training programme, a significant shift from the current one-year training model.

“As such, our student officers will be expected to stay in college for three full years to meet academic and practical standards in line with national requirements.”
The new Metro Police Training College will reportedly incorporate dog handler training, smart policing, surveillance systems training, horse unit training and advanced high-performance vehicle driver and shooting range and tactical firearms training (currently outsourced).
Mncwango further said, “Under the new model, trainees who currently receive R17 000 will now receive a mere R7000 per month. The remaining R10 000 per trainee will be allocated to a private service provider, who will also be responsible for daily operations.
“Our question is simple: why can’t these service providers be provided by the municipality itself? The model is a clear exploitation of our people. This represents yet another example of the City’s reliance on outsourcing and contracting – a practice that drains public funds and fails to empower municipal workers and provide sustainable employment.”

Also read: Under-resourced metro police a concern, says Durban Councillor

Myeni clarified, “Durban Metro Police is currently the only training institution in South Africa paying students a full salary of R17 000 per month while they are still in training. This model has only been viable for the one-year training cycle. With training extending to three years, it is not financially sustainable to pay full salaries to student officers who have not yet been deployed operationally. Student officers will now receive a stipend of R7000 per month during training.”
Mncwango concluded that ACTION SA continued to fight for insourcing, while other parties championed enrichment of private contractors at the expense of the people.
According to Myeni, the municipality will issue a Request for Proposal (RFP) to identify a private service provider who can fund, construct, and manage the college. This service provider will manage the institution for an agreed period, after which full ownership and control will revert to the Durban Metro Police Service.

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