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RESIGNED COP REPORTS FOR DUTY IN FULL UNIFORM

27/01/2022 09:06:00 Sibusiso Zwane

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MANZINI – There was a stir at the Mankayane Police Station as resigned police officer Sergeant Sabelo Simelane reported for duty in full uniform.

According to an impeccable source, when the officer arrived at the police station, other officers wondered what was going on as a few days after he tendered his resignation letter, his Facebook page had a post which suggested that he had chosen the People’s United Democratic Movement (PUDEMO). According to the source, when the sergeant arrived at the reception and charge office, he found junior officers (constables) and they only saluted him, without saying much as he was senior to them in terms of rank.

Shocked

However, the source claimed that while he (Simelane) allegedly paid attention to some documents, some of the junior officers who were shocked to see him at work informed superiors of the police station about Simelane’s presence. Thereafter, the source said the superiors of the station summoned the sergeant to one of the offices, where they had a discussion with him. He claimed that as they engaged with him, they became worried about his behaviour. “In that regard, they ordered him to leave the police station and to take off the police uniform,” the source said.

After that, the source said the sergeant left the police station. The source added that he had also gathered that yesterday morning, he surrendered the REPS uniform to the superiors at the police station. These developments were confirmed by the Deputy Police Information and Communications Officer, Inspector Nosipho Mnguni. “Yes, Sergeant Simelane reported for work yesterday (Tuesday) and was in full police uniform. The superiors ordered him to leave the charge office and to take off the uniform of the police force,” the deputy police spokesperson said.

Surrendered

She said the officer left the police station on the day (Tuesday), but mentioned that new information, which she gathered from the superiors, was to the effect that he had surrendered the police uniform.Worth noting is that according to the officer’s disciplinary hearing charge sheet, his supposed act of allegedly making a post on Facebook, which read; “Against all hate! I am the sergeant of the people’s movement!” had the potential of inducing members of the public to identify and or associate him with an organisation or movement of a political character.
Through this purported act, the police service said he allegedly contravened Section 59 of the Police Service No. 22 Act.

He was slapped with a total of four counts, which included absenting himself from work, causing damage to government property and excusing himself from work without leave for five days within a period of 30 days. However, on Monday, August 12, 2021, Judge Mumcy Dlamini issued an interim order stopping Simelane’s disciplinary hearing. This was after he moved an urgent application at the High Court where he contended that the tribunal, which had been put in place to adjudicate over his matter, was unlawful.