Mdluli no show at police
labour case
11 Feb
2014 | Sapa |
Former police crime intelligence head Richard
Mdluli failed to attend an unfair labour practice case involving his former
unit on Monday, despite having been subpoenaed to give evidence, Solidarity
said.
Former
police crime intelligence head Richard Mdluli
The case involves Colonel Kobus Roos,
represented by Solidarity, who claimed to have tried for years to expose
corruption in the police.
Roos was
moved from his position as acting head of crime intelligence's internal audit
division by Mdluli, after making a protected disclosure containing allegations
and proof of corruption in the unit.
Roos is
currently with the crime intelligence unit's inspection and evaluation
division. This division was never functional and is currently closed.
Solidarity
approached the Johannesburg Labour Court in a bid to get Roos reinstated to his
previous position at the internal audit division, arguing that he had virtually
no work to do in his current post and was subjected to unbearable working
conditions.
Solidarity
spokesman Johan Kruger said that Mdluli was expected to be one of the SAPS's
chief witnesses.
"Although
the court case, in essence, deals with unfair labour practice, it is inevitable
that the nature and findings of Roos's probes would also be raised."
Had
Mdluli taken the stand, details of Roos's findings would have emerged.
"Therefore,
it does not come as a surprise that Mdluli did not show up at court. "
Instead,
Solidarity would investigate the possibility of bringing the evidence uncovered
in the course of the lawsuit to the Public Protector's attention.
According
to Kruger the SA Police Service's legal team on Monday conceded that Roos had
been unfairly treated.
"The
court also ordered the SAPS to pay Solidarity's legal costs in full," he
said.
When the
case resumed on Tuesday, the police would provide a list of comparable
positions that Roos could choose from.
Kruger
said that closing arguments would be presented on Tuesday, and that the court
had yet to rule on what compensation Roos might be entitled to.
