ON DUTY METRO COPS ACCUSED OF SLACKING OFF

Well if it is happening in Cape Town, it is happening here in Jozi! It would also explain, why my complaint to have some homeless people, living in the ditch across the road from me, removed. It was only when I reported it to my ward counsellor that something was actaully done about it and then two days later they were back! sigh!

On-duty metro cops accused of slacking off
March 13 2007 at 12:24PM
By Norman Joseph

The SA Municipal Workers Union has called for the heads of some senior Metro Police officers to roll after traffic officers were seen at a golf club during working hours. A two-day investigation has revealed that several senior traffic officers regularly play golf at the Bellville Golf Club in Welgemoed after they have reported for duty, most of them at the Hillstar Traffic Depot in Ottery.

Last Thursday, in possession of a list of senior traffic officers and a document, a Cape Argus team went to the golf club. After a search on the course, the team spotted three of the named officers.
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'A regular occurrence'

They are Senior Traffic Officer Eric Oosterwyk, Senior Traffic Officer Kelly Johnson and Senior Licensing Officer Sedick Rodrigues. All are based at Hillstar. In his response, Oosterwyk, who is assigned to doing duty on speed cameras across the southern suburbs, said: "We got permission. That's all I can say."Rodrigues said: "You must speak to the directors in Cape Town. That question you must ask them. And where did you get my cellphone number?"Johnson responded: "I'm not allowed to speak to you."The Cape Argus is in possession of a document which reveals that the 12 senior officers had received unauthorised "sports force orders".

The sports force order is a form that must be filled in when traffic officers wish to take part in a recreational activity. Filling out the form exempts them from duty on that particular day. But the three officers had booked in for duty and the word "present" was marked next to their names at Hillstar. According to sources, it was "a regular occurrence" that senior traffic officers played golf in work hours.

Photographer Ian Landsberg photographed them in the clubhouse before they played golf later in the day.The sources who pointed out the three officers could not identify the other nine senior traffic officers who were apparently also present at the venue. The Cape Argus team also found that the officers were travelling in an unmarked official traffic department vehicle. This was confirmed by the city head office. A senior Metro Police officer, who asked not to be named, said: "We did not give permission for any traffic officers to play golf during working hours. We also do not pay for traffic officers to play golf anywhere."

Approached for comment, the Metro Police spokesperson on traffic officers' issues, Director Kevin Maxwell, said: "We are not aware of this. We can't respond at this stage." In response, Samwu said that it appeared the Metro Police department's senior management team had sanctioned the officers playing golf in their working hours. Samwu spokesperson Kurt Ziervogel said that this was a misuse of council funds. "They are being paid for playing golf while they should be on duty. There is a shortage of traffic officers on the road and these senior traffic officers are allowed to play golf while they should be on duty."Those in senior management, who gave the permission, should be charged," he said. "One can see why there is no proper service delivery for communities. No work is being done while these senior officers play golf in their working hours. "It seems the city council and the Metro Police department are a law unto themselves. These officers must have got permission from senior management."

Mayor Helen Zille said: "I am shocked to hear the traffic officers were playing golf during their working hours. I welcome the Cape Argus expose."She said she would investigate any further information she received.