The controversial head of the Jeppe Police Station accused of being absent for 156 days in just two years has recently been promoted.
This is according to Jack Bloom, Democratic Alliance Johannesburg East Constituency head, who explained that Brigadier Govindsamy Mariemuthoo, who previously held the post of station commander at Jeppe, has been moved from his position to that of deputy cluster commander of the Johannesburg East cluster.
The issue had previously been reported on in Jeppe top cop’s 156 days leave in only two years, Week ending 18 March 2016, which highlighted Mariemuthoo’s high absenteeism during his tenure as station commander.
According to Bloom, this translated to 70 vacation days, 64 ofdays of temporary incapacity leave and 22 days of sick leave during his tenure, bringing his absenteeism to 30 percent during that period.
“I am pleased that he has been moved this month from his position as station commander after the controversy caused by my disclosure that he was absent for 156 days in two years,” he said.
Bloom further added that Brigadier David Ngcobo was appointed as the new acting Jeppe station commander. Ngcobo’s appointment follows his stint as station commander at the Alexandra Police Station, where he was suspended last June following the fatal shooting of four people by a police constable at the station.
In response, Lieutenant-Colonel Lungelo Dlamini, Gauteng police provincial spokesperson, refuted that Mariemuthoo had been promoted. “Brigadier Mariemuthoo was not promoted, but was deployed to the Johannesburg East cluster office,” he said.
Furthermore, responding to questions on how Mariemuthoo could be promoted despite allegations of his absenteeism, Dlamini said that police ‘management has the discretion to deploy members of the police to any post’. The story continues.
Details: www.saps.gov.za
