Wednesday, July 12, 2006

‘Race-based’ evictions to be probed

National police management is investigating allegations that low-ranking policemen in the Western Cape are being evicted from their police flats to make way for new recruits.

“It seems a bit unfair,” Senior Superintendent Mohlabi Tlomatsana said in response to claims that at least 150 policemen had been served with eviction notices ordering them to move out of their homes by the end of the month.

“We are verifying the facts with the Western Cape police to see if the policemen were given enough notice.”

The directive for the evictions would have come from the office of the provincial police commissioner.

“Head office was not aware of any procedures that were followed,” Tlomatsana said…

A police inspector, who spoke to the Cape Times on condition of anonymity, said about 50 lower-ranking officers living in Park Court flats in Kenilworth had been told to move out by July 31.

He cannot raise a loan for alternative accommodation.

“But the guys who are the worst off are the constables and the sergeants,” he said earlier.

He said his colleagues felt white and coloured officers were being targeted for eviction.

Jones said: “The criteria in allocating state housing are by no means based on the applicant’s race or rank in the police.”

Sapu has lodged a grievance and referred the matter to arbitration, expected to begin next month, but provincial police say the union has been involved with housing policy “from the beginning”.

Daniels said policemen had been given no warning of their evictions.

“This is not being taken lightly and we are working now to get a response from the Western Cape,” said Tlomatsana. - Cape Times

No comments: