30 Cato cops receive notices

Thirty members of the Cato Manor Organised Crime Unit were yesterday served with ‘‘letters of intention’’ warning them they may be suspended from their jobs. 31 August 2012 | PAUL KIRK JOHANNESBURG - It is the second time that 18 of the cops have been served with such notices. Major General Johan Booysen, the provincial commander of the Organised Crime Unit and the Directorate of Priority Crimes Investigation – or Hawks – received his notice on Thursday evening. Durban attorney Carl van der Merwe confirmed his clients had received the notices. He said: “We welcome this development as the police now have 60 days to begin a disciplinary trial. “ My clients are desperate to clear their names and stop the constant defamation, by challenging these ridiculous allegations. The trial simply won’t begin before 2014 and a disciplinary trial will afford us a chance to clear the air.’’ Seven of the ‘‘Cato Manor 30’’ were given notices of intention earlier this year. A member of the unit, who was slapped with a ‘‘notice of intention to suspend’’ in February said ‘‘when we got the notices we made representations straight away and never heard another thing. I have no idea whether we will be fighting the suspensions – we need to talk to our lawyer. “The practical ramifications are that several high-profile court cases will possibly collapse if we are suspended. We would obviously testify in cases we investigated, but if we get suspended then there will be nobody to assist the prosecutors make sure our cases run smoothly.” THE CITIZEN Comments by Sonny - ANC DISCRIMINATION! INNOCENT UNTIL PROVED GUILTY!! THE DECISIONS BEHIND THESE SUSPENSIONS SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED! WILL THE SHOOTERS AT MARIKANE ALL RECEIVE MEDALS OF VALOUR?