Disgruntled TMPD members want promotions

A handful of Tshwane metro officers staged a picket on March 4 outside the Tshwane Metro Police Department’s headquarters on WF Nkomo Street, Pretoria West, over unfair hiring processes.

The picket was to address grievances over Warrant Officer positions, which were recently internally advertised.

Disgruntled officers alleged that the hiring process was unfair and that newer members were appointed instead of senior members who have served more than 10, 15 and even 20 years.

In December 2024, the TMPD advertised 80 Warrant Officer positions, then an additional 40 positions.

The officers allege that nepotism, favours, bribery and sexual favours or “bedroom promotions” were at play during the hiring process and that long-serving members were overlooked simply for not going along with the corrupt culture.

Sergeant Mabele Mahlakwane, an officer for the past 25 years, said the entire practice has been demoralising and that upper management is to blame for the protest.

“All of the people here are senior sergeants and constables and the Chief and management of the TMPD do not consider us when it’s time for promotions. These people started with the Tshwane Metro Police from day 1. But now, when it’s time to appoint people, they overlook them,” he claimed.

“They allow them to act as supervisors and mentors to recruits but now when the promotions are available, they don’t take them, they go to the new ones who came later. Some of them are accused of using sexual favours, some are accused of bribery and this management is fully aware of that and they don’t want to take our concerns seriously,” Mahlakwane said.

Mahlakwane said the group submitted separate grievances this year though the metro has remained quiet.

“I’ve been working here for more than 25 years and I’m still a sergeant. Even with qualifications and experience. Here there are managers without a matric, their certificates are fraudulent. Some of them are occupying more senior positions with a matric certificate,” he claimed.

“I’m studying for my master’s in policing now but I don’t qualify. This same institution took me to school for a diploma and B-Tec degree but instead, I’m not being used, I’m redundant while they equipped me with education,” Mahlakwane said.

Mhlakwane said he is not worried about being potentially targeted for harassment as he is exercising his democratic right and the group is protesting within the confines of the law.

Sergeant Themba Nkabinde said the group lodged two grievances to the city on January 27 and 28 as numerous allegations clouded the process.

“There was an allegation of others paying R40 000; another allegation of the original list of appointed WOs was fiddled with. People who applied for those positions were not called up but those working in the office of the directors were.

All of these things contribute to the current situation of unfair labour practices,” Nkabinde said.

“We have people who are working very hard, risking their lives daily to protect the citizens and the property of the city. Now if they go without recognition it creates a problem and this is not a new one, we’ve got people who started with the police in 2001 and are still constables today. In 23 years of service, they are constables acting as supervisors,” Nkabinde said.

Nkabinde added that the majority of the officers who filled the positions are newer.

“I have been with the force for 15 years and none of the protestors has been with the police for less than 10 years.

“They must make sure they promote everyone equally. In this system, in this environment that we are working in, some policies must be followed. HR policies that address the promotion and progression of all members equally, those policies need to be adhered to.

It’s not a favour to promote someone, it is the obligation of the company/management,” he said.

He said they want the management to do the right thing.

“The grievances we filed were to have them intervene and since they haven’t responded it shows that the city doesn’t listen or follow procedure,” Nkabinde said

Region 1’s Sergeant Matilda Kgope said she had been a sergeant for 12 years and believed the promotion process was unfair.

“I don’t have a problem with the people who received promotions, my problem is with the criteria. I don’t accept that there can be a candidate with eight years of experience being considered over a candidate with over 20 years of experience.

Next time, our management needs to do things right.”

She suggested that the metro police do what SAPS do when positions are available, to specify the number of required years of experience.

TMPD spokesperson Senior Superintendent Isaac Mahamba acknowledged the allegations made but maintained that currently, no cases of bribery, sexual extortion or corruption related to this matter have been reported internally.

“I picked up these allegations while doing an interview with the media. We are dealing with police, they know how to handle these issues. If there are allegations that there is corruption involved, they must report the cases. As I am standing here, there’s not even a single case of corruption being reported to us or SAPS,” Mahamba said.

“They are police officers and they should know better.

If they can’t come to us because they believe we are protecting our own, they can go to SAPS but they must come to us with evidence,” Mahamba said.

Mahamba said the department received over 3 500 applications for the 80 original posts prompting an additional 40 being made available.

He added that metro officers weren’t the only applicants and that they received applicants from everywhere, including SAPS.

He said members who weren’t sergeants weren’t permitted to jump ranks and be promoted to Warrant Officers immediately despite their years of service.

Mahamba said that while it is within the members’ right to picket, there are internal procedures to be followed.

“Being an employee means that you must follow formal grievance processes which have steps.”

Mahamba also maintained that no officer would be targeted for harassment of any kind from the department for their involvement in the picket so long as they were adhering to the law.

He said officers protesting are not permitted to wear their uniform or any police regalia and are to wear civilian clothing specifically. Police are also not permitted to have their firearms at the picket or use state vehicles and they are required to picket during their lunch should they be on duty.

“We advertised for a certain number and that certain number went through all the processes. If you did not qualify, unfortunately, you did not qualify, whether you’ve been here for 5, 10, 15 or 20 years.

We did not single out individuals, we followed the processes of the city’s police recruitment procedure,” Mahamba said.

We can’t hire everybody, those who didn’t make the cut will have to wait their turn.

Nobody is guaranteed a position, they will have to go through the processes.”

Mahamba said the recruitment process has been completed and the members who have qualified and were recommended are receiving their appointment letters.

He also came to the defence of the Chief of TMPD, Yolanda Faro, regarding alleged racist recruitment. The protestors suggested that the chief’s influence played a role in ensuring African applicants were not considered.

“That is baseless and unfounded. Of the members recommended, 82% are African, 10% are coloured, 4% are white and 4% are others.

The Chief of Police has never been racist, she is the one always on the ground with our members, working hard and making sure they have what they need.”

Mahamba said Faro specifically fought for her members and recommended a new fleet of vehicles.

“We received around 80 vehicles last year and this year we’re going to try to add another fleet to make sure these members have vehicles.

When the Chief of Police made rounds in the division she noted that there wasn’t enough supervision so she wanted to appoint extra inspectors. That’s when she went to the city to ask for funds to appoint our own,” Mahamba concluded.

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