Police commander tells magistrate to back-off

PIGG’S PEAK – The Station Commander here has told Magistrate Leo Dlamini to "back off" his police station matters.

This is contained in a memo written to the magistrate by the commander in relation to an interim Peace Binding Order between him and one of the founders of the police union Khanyakwezwe Mhlanga.

The squabble between the two comes after Dlamini recently ordered the Station Commander Charles Ndlovu to file an answering affidavit regarding the alleged abuse and assault charges leveled against him (Ndlovu) by the Secretary General of the unregistered police union (SWAPU) Khanyakwezwe Mhlanga.

Mhlanga had filed an affidavit reporting his boss’s behaviour during a recent attack where the latter forcefully threw him out of his house for police duties at a time he claimed to be ill.

In response, Mhlanga called the magistrate to help calm down the nasty situation, as the commander had threatened to fire teargas canisters into the house.

All this happened in full view of Mhlanga’s wife and other police officers.

However, Dlamini told Mhlanga to file an affidavit about the whole scenario.

On August 20, 2008 Mhlanga filed the affidavit.

It is said the magistrate also ordered Ndlovu to file his responding affidavit.

This however did not go down well with the commander.

A letter, dated September 25, was written by the commander to the magistrate where he threatened and further ordered the magistrate to put aside the matter. "Mr Dlamini if you want to be a station commander just submit your application to the commissioner of police for consideration but for now back off from police issues and take care of your duties as a magistrate," reads part of the letter.

"I wish to point out to you that I am not happy at all about your attitude towards me as on 19/09/08 you verbally attacked me for no apparent reason by saying you give instructions to police officers and I tell them something different and I wonder who are you to say this as I am the only officer who is the station commander here in Pigg’s Peak," continued the letter.

The commander further told the magistrate not to interfere with police while they are on duty.

He said the magistrate had a tendency of detailing police cars to do his errands without the knowledge of the station commander.

Dlamini has not adhered to the ‘order’ and said he would continue with the matter.

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