Cop appealing f-word dismissal
2008-07-24 08:38
Bloemfontein - The Free State policeman who swore in front of a senior officer has now officially been dismissed from the police force, after the provincial commissioner ratified the sentence he had been given after an internal disciplinary hearing.
Dismayed police officers said on Wednesday that there was more behind the discharge of Superintendent Gary Wrensch of the provincial information system management than just the f-word that he had used in front of his immediate superior, Senior Superintendent Alfred Mokalake.
Acting provincial communications head Superintendent Sam Makhele confirmed that Commissioner Amos Mashigo had signed off on Wrensch's dismissal a week ago at the disciplinary hearing.
From the police force's perspective, he is no longer in the service.
'Shockingly inappropriate punishment'
Advocate André Gerber, legal advisor for the South African Police Union in the Free State, Western Cape and KwaZulu-Natal, said earlier that he had given notification that Wrensch would lodge an appeal against his "shockingly inappropriate punishment".
Makhele said if Wrensch appealed, he would be suspended, without salary and benefits, pending the result of the appeal.
Police force members have said that if every police officer was dismissed for swearing in front of a superior, there would be no police officers left.
Some have speculated that "someone" had a reason for getting rid of Wrensch, as he did not always go with the flow and spoke out if he disagreed with someone.
Others believed that a complaint that Wrensch had laid against another officer had led to his dismissal.
Some claimed that one of the clerks he had complained about is a relative of a staff member in the office of the MEC for safety and security. They could not give the names of these people.
Wrensch was known for helping out police members regarding the computer system used in the Free State, and was instrumental in setting it up. He was regarded as very capable, according to sources.