Ekurhuleni mayor slams EMPD officers for alleged intimidation, overtime abuse after illegal strike

Some Ekurhuleni Metro Police Department (EMPD) officers are allegedly threatening colleagues who report to work, while also taking advantage of overtime benefits.

This is according to City of Ekurhuleni Mayor Nkosindiphile Xhakaza.

Xhakaza addressed the media on Thursday following the municipality’s decision to take disciplinary action against EMPD officers involved in the illegal strike that took place on 19 March.

The protest, which stemmed from disputes over pay and the reduction of overtime hours, resulted in major roads across Gauteng being blocked.

The officers involved have since been suspended pending the outcome of disciplinary hearings.

City of Ekurhuleni addresses EMPD illegal strike

The mayor confirmed that the city has extended the deadline for 389 officers who received pre-termination letters earlier this week, allowing them additional time to submit written representations explaining why they should not be dismissed.

Xhakaza stressed that each case will be handled individually.

“Let me be clear that this is not a blanket dismissal. Each case will be reviewed individually, with due consideration of each officer’s involvement,” the mayor said on Thursday.

He also addressed reports of intimidation aimed at officers who continue to report for duty.

“This is completely unacceptable and we are dealing with this matter with the seriousness it deserves,” he said.

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The threats, allegedly made by some of the suspended officers, have prompted the city to escalate the matter to the South African Police Service (Saps) and the Hawks.

“There is nobody who must intimidate others when they report for duty. You can’t have WhatsApp voice notes circulating around, heckling those who are reporting to work that they must [wear] a bulletproof.

“We want to issue a warning to those engaging in such conduct. Intimidation will not be tolerated and legal action will follow.”

EMPD officers abusing overtime abuse

Xhakaza also raised alarm over alleged widespread abuse of overtime within the EMPD.

“We want our workers to work optimally during their normal working hours. [From] eight to five, you must be at work; you don’t wait until after hours.”

Xhakaza highlighted the financial implications of overtime abuse, revealing that nearly R200 million is spent on overtime each quarter, with 50% of that attributed to EMPD.

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“If crime statistics are not showing a significant downward trend, it raises questions about the justification for ongoing overtime expenditure.”

He reaffirmed the metro’s commitment to reducing excessive dependence on overtime across the municipality.

“The city will intensify its focus on performance driven deployment to ensure that taxpayers’ funds are spent effectively.”

Engagement with labour unions to continue

Xhakaza added that the city will continue dialogue with labour unions, including the South African Municipal Workers’ Union and the Independent Municipal and Allied Trade Union.

“[The city is] committed to continue engagements through the Local Labour Forum to address concerns constructively and transparently,” the mayor said.

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“I wanted to emphasise that the city remains committed to dialogue and peaceful resolution of disputes, but we will not compromise on the rule of law and public safety.

“As we move forward, the city will intensify its engagements with organised labour. We will prioritise the consequences and we will work towards restoring discipline within our law enforcement ranks.”

Legislature warns of risks amid EMPD suspensions

The Gauteng Provincial Legislature’s Portfolio Committee on Community Safety has raised concerns over the suspension of EMPD officers.

While the committee acknowledged the City of Ekurhuleni’s right to discipline employees involved in serious misconduct, it warned that removing such a significant number of officers at once could undermine law enforcement capacity and disrupt traffic management services.

The committee urged the metro to swiftly put contingency plans in place to minimise the impact of the officer suspensions.

It also called on the municipality to prioritise resolving the ongoing labour dispute without further delay.

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