A furore is simmering in the City of Cape Town’s Fire and Rescue department over staff promotions to top positions, even though candidates allegedly misrepresented their qualifications.
The City allegedly went ahead with the hiring process, even though a labour union requested the suspension of the process until concerns were resolved.
The South African Municipal Workers’ Union (Samwu) said the City was trying to “cover-up” the alleged irregular promotions in the positions of Platoon Commander and Station Commander within the department.
These positions cost taxpayers about half a million rand each per annum. Academic requirements would include a graduate diploma or higher certificate in Fire Technology or equivalent,” said Samwu regional secretary Hlalanathi Gagayi.
Instead, the municipality’s promotion process allegedly “accepted an institution membership certificate”.
Gagayi labelled the process “unethical and unfair.”
While at least six people were identified by the union as having risen to the high ranks, only wielding a membership certificate to the Institution for Fire Engineers, the union said there could be more.
The matter was brought to the union's attention by its members last year already.
A company used by the City to verify qualifications also noted that it only received membership certificates and not copies of a graduate diploma.
Gagayi said a higher certificate in Fire Technology was obtained after a one-year course and examinations.
He said it appeared that many staff members used the “membership route” as a “short-cut to being promoted”.
“The municipality recruitment processes have an obligation to maintain a reasonable standard on promotions and such obligation seems to not have been exercised,” he said.
Samwu members asked for a forensic investigation which the City undertook.
However, Gagayi said the results were kept a secret.
When the union pressed to see the results, it was asked to pay a fee.
“Strangely, even after the payment to access the information, the legal services department refused to give the information required,” said Gagayi.
He added that even a grievance process that the union lodged with the City Manager, Lungelo Mbandazayo's office was unsuccessful.
“We now call on the office of the Executive Mayor to intervene, as it appears that there is a cover-up, or a deliberate effort to protect certain officials," he said, adding that a misrepresentation of qualifications was a criminal offence.
City spokesperson Luthando Tyhalibongo said the matter was a “pending (the outcome of a) labour relations dispute.
“The City is not at liberty to share any further details,” he said.
Samwu said it would not be deterred but would “get to the bottom of this. We deserve transparency and the truth.”
In recent years, the service has been marred in controversy with more than 500 firefighter threatened with dismissal after they went on strike over working hours. The matter concluded in a new collective agreement with unions, which is binding until the end of June 2030.
The agreement regulates ordinary working hours, standby time, weekends and public holidays, as well as night work for Fire Services officers, firefighters and control room staff.