Cop gets vocal about being ‘overlooked’

A disgruntled Eastern Cape policeman nearing retirement has sent an explosive WhatsApp voice note to the provincial police commissioner Lieutenant-General Liziwe Ntshinga demanding answers as to why he was “overlooked” in recent job promotions.

The note has been leaked and is in the public domain, drawing the displeasure of his union, Popcru.

Captain Mzuvukile Mabandla, 58, who is based at the Fleet Street police station, is heard saying: “Even if I was the dumbest policeman alive, how do you explain 15 years in one rank as a captain?”

“This is an insult, even my colleagues are dismayed. This is why I am talking like this. I have been applying for years.”

Mabandla has taken the provincial police office to the Commission for Conciliation Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) over their failure to promote him.

His case will be heard on October 31.

However, Popcru provincial chair Colonel Loyiso Mdingi, who confirmed that he was representing Mabandla at the CCMA, said: “While we feel his plight, Captain Mabandla acted out of order. He knows the right channels to follow to lodge a grievance. He should have raised this matter first with a cluster commander and his union, Popcru.

“Maybe the provincial commissioner took the message as a threat.”

Mdingi said he would arrange a meeting with Ntshinga to try and find a solution.

Mabandla told the Dispatch he was not authorised to speak to the media and declined to comment. However, he did confirm sending the note to the commissioner.

Ntshinga’s spokesperson, Brigadier Thembinkosi Kinana, said the incident was an internal matter.

Kinana said: “This office regards the issue as a labour matter between the employer and employee.

“For this reason, it would jeopardise the rights of the employee to allow any discussion on the matter in the public.

“This office will therefore not entertain any further debate on the matter.”

Mabandla, who can be heard addressing Ntshinga by her clan name Mabhayi, says: “After seeing more people getting promoted recently, my heart bleeds. It’s painful what is happening in this police office.

“My youngest brother is also a captain in Port Elizabeth. He only joined the service in 1994. I took him to school.”

The Libode-born cop had been trying without success to be promoted to the rank of lieutenant-colonel for 13 years, confirmed a patrol colleague.

In the clip, Mabandla complains to Ntshinga that he had been in the same captain rank for 15 years while rookie captains were getting promoted to higher ranks ahead of him.

malibongwed@dispatch.co.za