A group of police reservists from Mitchells Plain has been forced to hang up their uniforms after more than 10 years of serving their community for free - amid infighting at the station.
The seven men, including two warrant officers and five constables, say they have been given marching orders from their commander over “administrative issues” which allegedly arose after a spat between two senior cops.
One of the men, who asked not to be named, says they are angry at being unceremoniously booted out despite years of dedicated and free service.
“Many of us have been serving as reservists for more than 10 years and we don’t get paid.
“We do it purely for our community and sacrifice our spare time while we work full-time jobs.
“Three years ago Captain Jansen took over the reservists at Mitchells Plain and she did all our files and made sure all the documentation was there,” says the cop.
Two weeks ago, they got a skrik when they were told that documents were missing and they were being taken off the SAPS system and were no longer reservists.
A group of police reservists from Mitchells Plain have been forced to hang up their uniform. Picture supplied
“So Captain Jansen and Captain Kriel, who work at the provincial office, had some falling out and then our documents were sommer gone.
“How can we be held responsible for the files? Why did they not just ask us for the documents again?
“Meanwhile, we are now patrolling with the neighbourhood watches because we care about what is happening in Mitchells Plain.”
The angry officer says SAPS gave them “ stank vir dank” while crime in the precinct continues to rise.
“Are they saying Mitchells Plain has enough cops and have the crime under control? I don’t think they can say that.”
Mitchells Plain police did not respond to questions on the matter.
DA Police Shadow Minister, Andrew Whitfield, says the number of police reservists has dropped by 86% since 2010.
In response to a parliamentary question, he said the Police Commissioner revealed that the number of police reservists have declined to a shocking 8 908 from 63 592 nine years ago.
“In a country currently battling with unprecedented levels of gender-based violence and violent civil unrest, it is unconscionable that the government has overseen such a dramatic decline in the number of police reservists.”