Trade union Solidarity on Wednesday revealed further damning evidence that proposed promotions for police officers who ostensibly fought in the struggle are highly questionable, given that so many of these officers in line for more money weren’t even alive or in adulthood during the struggle.
Sixteen of them are now dead, but that won’t be standing in the way of their police careers.
Solidarity has pointed out that the promotions are set to cost taxpayers nearly R650 million.
Among the 601 people who were supposedly Umkhonto weSizwe (MK) or Azanian People’s Liberation Army (Apla) soldiers during the fight against apartheid, six have already been fired from the SA Police Service (SAPS), 28 received golden handshakes and have retired, five have been medically boarded, at least 16 are already dead, 33 are older than 60 and have retired and another 15 have voluntarily resigned.
The dead officers’ families are in line to enjoy the “promotions” on their family members’ behalf thanks to increased pensions.
Solidarity said in a statement that in 2013 former MK and Apla members expressed unhappiness over not being in senior positions within the SAPS.