Meeting on fate of metro police protesters postponed

WAITING TIME: Traffic police wait to hold a meeting at Sidwell
to discuss the metro police impasse. Picture: FREDLIN ADRIAAN

A MEETING to decide on the fate of 26 Nelson Mandela Bay safety and security officers who disrupted the metro police launch two weeks ago was postponed yesterday.

The meeting, which was to be presided over by new safety and security boss Linda Mti, was rescheduled for next week.

The 26 were to be hauled before their bosses to explain their “unlawful action” and “unacceptable behaviour” when several officials blasted sirens and chanted while mayor Danny Jordaan was addressing the metro police launch.

SA Municipal Workers Union regional secretary Mqondisi Nodongwe said on Wednesday that they would not attend yesterday’s 2pm meeting at the South End Fire Station.

They then backtracked and attended it.

A large group of traffic officers and security staff are said to have tagged along to support their colleagues.

Asked if some of the other officers had gone to protest outside the meeting venue, Nodongwe said they had simply been there to show their support.

Several officers are refusing to work with the new police unit, saying they were not properly consulted during the process of establishing the metro police.

They say they are now being targeted for speaking out about their disagreements on their functions if they join the unit.

The Herald reported yesterday that some staff were on a go-slow at the traffic and licensing centres and that services had been severely hampered.

However, Nodongwe insisted that there was no go-slow.

“We are at work. We are clocking in and occupying our desks. There is no goslow.”

Acting municipal manager Johann Mettler said a go-slow had not been formally reported to management and it was supposed to be business as usual at the traffic department.

The DA’s Bay mayoral candidate, Athol Trollip, said yesterday that the municipality was trying to silence the officers for speaking out.

“Having bungled the launch of NMB’s metro police, clearly rushing it through unprepared, mayor [Danny] Jordaan is now trying to silence those speaking out against the irregularities and illegalities he committed,” Trollip said.

UDM mayoral candidate Mongameli Bobani said the workers could not be punished when they had not been properly consulted about the changes to their work functions.