Call for debate in Cape legislature over dismissal of chief detective, Jeremy Vearey

Cape Town – The Freedom Front Plus (FF+) in the province has proposed to the provincial legislature to debate the dismissal of the Western Cape detective head, Jeremy Vearey.

The party’s MPL, Peter Marais, said Vearey’s dismissal would negatively affect the fight against corruption and crime in the province, and has requested Premier Alan Winde to engage with Police Minister Bheki Cele on the matter.

Reagan Allen, DA MPL and Community safety standing committee chairperson in the provincial legislature, said the FF+ and the ANC in the province were fascinated by personality politics within the police.

Allen said the real issue was much larger and one which spoke to the rampant crime and gangsterism, the ongoing misallocation, scarcity and poorly managed policing resources by the lead police agency.

“That is why we have, even before this SAPS political debacle, submitted a motion to the legislature requesting a debate on the status of policing in the province and what the SAPS needs to get right for our communities to feel safe,” he said.

Winde said they had long seen infighting at a senior level within the national police, which impacted on policing in the Western Cape, and that the net result always was that citizens suffered.

ANC community safety provincial spokesperson Mesuli Kama said the proposed debate by the FF+ was in line with what the ANC has been proposing. He said urgent interventions by the national government and legislative arm of the state were needed.

Kama said in the light of the deadly divisions with the police service, the legislative arm of government should have a say and proposals on how to restore calm and stability.

“I wish the debate will take place soon, and that we will reach a consensus on the way forward, including inviting police management to account about plans of dealing with the divisions.”

Kama said it was an open secret that since 2009, the DA made Vearey its priority project, and it made sure that he does not lead the police in the province.

He said they wrote several letters objecting to his appointment as a provincial police commissioner.

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Cape Argus