Top cop's 'force' goes rogue

Volunteers were hopeful of fulltime employment.

- Jabulile Mbatha

UNPAID: SUSPENDED HEAD OF EKURHULENI METRO POLICE ACCUSED OF USING CIVILIANS.

The suspended head of the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Police Department (EMPD), Isaac Mapiyeye, has been accused of running a private police force of his own using unpaid volunteers who thought they would be given permanent posts.

Despite being not attested or formally given official warrants of appointment, the members of what was called the community liaison unit (CLU) were allegedly issued with police vehicles and firearms, then deployed in VIP protection roles and to guard council property.

They made arrests, recovered stolen vehicles and property and were also detailed to fulfil a crime intelligence role by gathering information about service delivery protests in the metro. But they were never given proper jobs or paid for their work, they claim.

The former volunteers, who had experience as police reservists but were never previously permanent employees of the EMPD, are claiming the department made them work as official police officers from 2016 to 2019 without compensation. They allege Mapiyeye is now denying appointing them because he failed to honour his promise to appoint them permanently.

Three former CLU members said they joined EMPD under the leadership of late officer Sabelo Ngwenya, who was allegedly authorised by Mapiyeye in 2015 to carry out the recruitment.

Brian Khumalo said he joined the CLU because they were promised permanent employment.