Union calls for police chief to be probed

A municipal union is calling for an investigation of Ekurhuleni metro chief of police Jabulani Mapiyeye for alleged cover-up of an accident he was involved in four years ago.

The allegations came to light after two metro officers gave sworn statements to the police alleging misconduct regarding an accident that took place on May 25, 2019. One of the officers, who was on the scene of the accident, alleged that he was instructed not to breathalyse his boss [Mapiyeye].  

Vukile Mlungwana, the general secretary of the Municipal Employees and Civil Servants Union, last month wrote a letter to Ekurhuleni municipal manager Dr Imogen Mashazi and head of human resources Linda Gxasheka calling for Mapiyeye’s suspension. 

He said the allegations made against the chief of police, who plays a crucial role in upholding and enforcing the law, were serious. 

The officer, who said he was in charge of the scene, alleged in his affidavit that he was directed by an off-duty senior official not to administer a breathalyser test to the municipal chief of police.

“I was instructed not to breathalyse Mr Mapiyeye but to record a 0.00 reading and was also instructed to write a reading over the limit for the other driver,” reads the statement.

In addition, the officer claimed that Mapiyeye never provided his driver's license as promised, as he did not have it on him at the time of the accident.

The incident took place at the intersection of R554 and Rondebault Boksburg, east of Johannesburg, at around 6.15am

“I knew that doing an accident like this was not normal, but we work on an instruction...,” the statement states.

A second officer said he arrived at the scene to deliver an alcohol meter-tester and asserted that he had instructed both drivers to be tested.

“When I handed over the breathalyser... I said both drivers must be tested. Immediately after that a private ambulance left the scene with Mr Mapiyeye, saying they were transporting him to Sunward Hospital,” read the statement from the second officer.

However, he said at the hospital, only one driver was found.

Gauteng police spokesperson Colonel Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi confirmed the accident was investigated and that the docket would be forwarded to a senior public prosecutor for a decision once the blood test results are available. 

Mapiyeye requested questions to be sent to him via WhatsApp two weeks ago but did not respond to further requests for comment.

A source with close knowledge of the case claimed that junior officers who responded to the accident were subjected to disciplinary actions, whereas senior officers who were involved were promoted. “There is a lot of witch-hunt happening in the department and those who know too much are being silenced.”

Municipal spokesperson Zweli Dlamini said the letter from Mlungwana was being reviewed to determine the appropriate course of action, “if any”.

Mlungwanga said his former union, South African Municipal Workers Union, had raised the matter before on June 8, 2020 but received no response.

“In light of the serious allegations, given the seniority of the officials complained of, it will be in the interest of the integrity of the investigation that the city places them on precautionary suspension pending the investigation and/or enquiry, as they are capable of jeopardising the investigation and interfering with potential witnesses,” he wrote to the city manager.

Ekurhuleni metro police department spokesperson Kelebogile Thepa said any assertions made by the officers should be made public and shared with the city to afford it an opportunity to initiate an investigation and avoid what would be viewed as “cover-ups”.

“It should again be borne in mind that an officer has a legal duty to act within the ambit of the law, and no instruction should be given that is unlawful should be executed. “We are stern holders of professionalism and know that no one is above the law. Not even our competent municipal commissioner,” Thepa said.

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