Minister of Police, Bheki Cele, has asked the Minister of Health to intervene, as doctors in the Western Cape and KwaZulu-Natal may be handing out sick notes without reason to striking police officers.
According to Cele, 400 Western Cape and 120 KwaZulu-Natal officers may be on strike, as it is alleged that an early-morning message made the rounds in the Western Cape, requesting for officers to gather on the Grand Parade at mid-morning.
“We are aware of the 400 plus people protesting, but we are also aware of the fact that some have made use of letters from doctors to not be at work today,” Cele said. “We are warning the doctors to not fall for these scams, and we call on the minister to deal with those who may be found to be on the other side of the law.”
Police are reported to be dissatisfied with the long wait for promotions, and this has spurned a strike.
Cele called on all police officers to heed their oath to office, and not partake in any planned industrial action. He also added that it is illegal for an officer of the law to go on strike.
The Minister had also previously dismissed rumours of the planned strikes, saying that he was resolute in his certainty. “We are not shadow boxing something that we don’t know is going to happen,” he said last Thursday.
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