The Executive Mayor of Tshwane, Solly Msimanga, is pleased that the last Council meeting resolved to advertise for the permanent appointment of Tshwane Metro Police Department (TMPD) Chief.
This follows the announcement made by the Executive Mayor Msimanga in April this year that the City reached an agreed separation with the then Police Chief. This agreement was reached in consultation with the City Manager.
At the time, this was done to avoid further protracting the process and all parties agreed that it was in the best interests of the City and the leadership. Council has now given the DA-led multi-party administration permission to embark on a process of finding a permanent candidate to fill this vacancy so that we may continue the work to foster a safer Tshwane and provide the much-needed stability that our TMPD requires.
As such the Executive Mayor calls on all eligible candidates to apply for this critical position after which the City’s leadership will embark on a rigorous and comprehensive process to nominate to Council for appointment the most suitable candidate to effect the enforcement of the City’s by-laws and give effect to our continued efforts to stablise the City and keep its residents safe.
Executive Mayor Msimanga committed this administration to nominating “a career police officer whose qualifications demonstrate that they are a fit and proper person to reenergise a TMPD that is committed to creating a safer Tshwane.”
Pursuant to the Municipal Systems Act Council approved the appointment of the Deputy Chief, Ms Jenny Malan, as the Acting Chief of Police on a month-to-month basis until such time as a permanent appointment is made by Council in accordance with section 56 of the same act.
This was done to avoid the vacuum that might have occurred in the Metro Police Department which would have negatively affect the administration and the department. This is why it was of utmost importance that an Acting Chief of Police be appointed until such time until the vacancy has been filled to ensure that necessary administration of the Municipality and the Metro Police Department continues and that the people of Tshwane and the City’s property are properly protected and that law and order is maintained in our City.
It is common cause that when there is a change in leadership there will be changes in the City for the purposes of stabilising the administration and as such we would like to assure our residents that keeping them and their property safe is still at the apex of our agenda and that the departure of the Police Chief and the recruitment of a new one is in the best interests of stabilising the City so we may provide better services to all our people and that includes a safe and law-abiding Tshwane of opportunity for all who live in it.