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South African Police admits to discrimination against white officer

The South African Police Service is notorious for discriminating against white officers during promotions, but a recent court case constitutes a small victory for racial equality.

Published: January 23, 2017, 12:20 am

    In a court case a few days ago in South Africa, the country’s Police Service consented to a court order that compels it to promote a white man who had been repeatedly refused promotion on racial grounds. “Despite the fact that Mr Van Heerden was the best and preferred candidate for the advertised position, he was still discriminated against merely because of his race, which is prohibited by the Constitution,” Anton van der Bijl, a spokesman for trade union Solidarity said.

    Being of European descent “constituted the primary reason why Van Heerden had not been considered for the position”, the trade union stated. According to Van der Bijl, “Despite the fact that Mr Van Heerden was the best and preferred candidate for the advertised position, he was still discriminated against merely because of his race, which is prohibited by the Constitution.”

    The South African Police Service conceded what was termed “a huge settlement” to compensate Mr. Van Heerden for having been discriminated against for years when it came to promotion.

    “The Employment Equity Act unequivocally prohibits the reservation of jobs for a certain racial group, and for this reason we took on the SAPS and its Employment Equity Plan on behalf of the member as the SAPS’s refusal to promote this candidate on the grounds of his race basically amounted to the reservation of jobs,” said Anton van der Bijl.

    Although whites founded the South African state and still pay the greater portion of personal income tax, they are routinely discriminated against when it comes to public service appointments.

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    12 comments

    1. The same happened/happens in Telkom

      Comment by Hannes Coetzee on January 23, 2017 at 4:23 pm

    2. then let us go but give us our due.

      Comment by Gerhard Theunissen on January 23, 2017 at 6:41 pm

    3. And try being a english and white in the police .. Man alone diacrimation delux .and really at the bottom of the food chain

      Comment by Dave on January 23, 2017 at 7:07 pm

    4. Sad truth, and this is why so many good police OFFICERS, like my husband also left the SAPS.

      Comment by Michelle Roodt De Bruin on January 23, 2017 at 7:24 pm

    5. Any form of discrimination should be fought against & banished forever…
      Without this happening nothing positive will ever happen.

      Comment by John Rellie on January 23, 2017 at 11:17 pm

    6. Comment by Avner Eliyahu Romm on January 24, 2017 at 4:40 pm

    7. Comment by Avner Eliyahu Romm on January 24, 2017 at 4:48 pm

    8. The ANC has caused great damage to the country under the leadership of Zuma.

      Comment by Daniel Christen on January 28, 2017 at 3:03 am

    9. It doesn’t make sense to me: You say discrimination on the base of RACE is forbidden in the Constitution. If so, HOW does dear Zuma managage to get away with promoting BBBEE? It is FORBIDDEN in the Constitutiin!

      Comment by Len Swanepoel on April 27, 2017 at 9:57 pm

    10. How about small white owned companies. I’m loosing contracts because I’m white where does the fairness come in. My fiance is in the police 27 yrs he does all the captains work because his captain can’t do it. But because his white — no promotion

      Comment by Eileen Nel on April 28, 2017 at 1:04 pm

    11. Great more Blacks sitting on there Ass doing
      F@#k all … more Blacks to rep people Off .
      More Blacks to sleep in the police cars .

      Great more Blacks police Eating at KFC .

      Comment by Robert Statt on April 30, 2017 at 11:18 am

    12. Comment by Duncan Gill on April 30, 2017 at 11:03 pm

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