Cape Town - The SAPS’s drive to recruit retired cops to plug the dearth of trainers for the next cohort of 10 000 trainees appears hamstrung as some retired cops are considered unhealthy and blocked by “inconsistencies” in SAPS testing.
Major-General Lenny Govender recently told MPs that in order to train 10 000 more officers, the SAPS needs 940 trainers. It currently has 257 trainers, he said.
However, a retired cop who is looking to re-enlist, claims the service has allegedly been turning away retired cops who have tested for cholesterol “.2 over” the accepted level, including him.
At least two retired cops highlighted inconsistencies in the recruitment process and one of them alleged racial prejudice in the recruitment office, which allegedly has three white officers and one Indian woman.
Cholesterol can be managed and treated through medication and a health lifestyle.
The retired cop claimed that a former colleague of his was allegedly rejected because he sports a tattoo on the upper arm.
The allegations were put to police spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe but she hadn’t responded at the time of writing to questions, including SAPS recruitment policy on health and tattoos and alleged prejudice at the recruitment office.
Former cop Robert Baker – who applied for re-enlistment in 2020 – found out he had failed his medical test in 2021, but his medical aid file contained information of someone else. He met the chief executive of his medical aid company, who told him that there were no reasons for him to be found unfit, shifting blame to police.
He said both the company and SAPS “point blank refused to admit that a mistake had been made that medically there was no reason for me to be found unfit. SAPS refused to listen to my case and to do anything about it.
“Two years later, I’ve heard nothing more. I’ve reapplied since then and I didn’t get a response,” Baker said.