On Wednesday, these metro police recruits barricaded access points into the Bram Fischer building in Bloemfontein, barring the public, employees, councillors and Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) officials from accessing the premises. 

The metro’s acting Municipal Manager, Sello More, has not only apologised for the inconvenience caused by the illegal demonstration but says they are looking into strategies that will prevent such industrial action from taking place again in the future. With respect to lawlessness, More on Wednesday vehemently refuted allegations that some of the recruits have criminal records.

He says, contrary to assertions made in the media by opposition parties, the recruits have, in fact, undergone an extensive vetting process and not one of the selected individuals now donning uniforms has a criminal record.

READ MORE: #MangaungCopChaos: Rumours of metro police recruits' criminal records refuted

The question remains, however, how can recruits, whose appointments are under question, be disciplined by the metro?

A report probing the appointment process of the metro police members in question, will be availed on Friday. This is in terms of an agreement between the new Free State MEC for Cooperative Governance, Mxolisi Dukwana, various community pressure groups, and the management of the Mangaung Municipality. During a meeting between these roleplayers, a team was formed that will investigate all the complaints of the pressure groups. They also agreed that the activities of the metro police would be stopped immediately.

However, the decision led to the unhappiness of the members of the metro police. The provincial head of the department of Cooperative Government, Mokete Duma, said in an interview with OFM News that the community pressure groups had complained about the appointment process of the members of the metro police. The cost of the unit has also been questioned as the Mangaung Metro has already been placed under administration due to its financial problems. 

READ MORE: Vrydag is D-dag vir Mangaung Metropolisie

Duma says the incorporation of the traffic department into the metro police also forms part of the investigation. The unit was plunged into controversy after one of the pressure groups, the Mangaung Concerned Community, threatened to bring the city to a standstill in revolt against the unit. The provincial government intervened at eleven o'clock and averted a strike.

OFM News