Several jobless youths who possess qualifications in law enforcement studies marched to the head office of the South African Police on Thursday morning demanding that the Minister of Police must employ them with immediate effect.
They were carrying their CV’s and wearing their graduation gowns.
Convener of Law Enforcement Graduates Mashudu Phalandwa, who holds a qualification in policing from Unisa, told Tshwane Talks at the march that Makashule Gana of Rise Mzansi is always in the news talking about shortage of detectives in the country and as a result they were presenting themselves for employment as they have qualifications in policing.
“There are 8 500 vacancies, and we are saying to the police that we are qualified graduates, hire us as police staff members,” said Phalandwa.
“We hope that the management of the police will prioritise us as law-enforcement graduates, they must have a core requirement as we believe that for a SAPS position one must have a law-enforcement qualification and that they must stop hiring people with tourism management diplomas while someone with a law-enforcement graduate remained unemployed,” fumed Phalandwa.
“On the 21st of May this year we marched to the Union Buildings and presented our memorandum, and we were promised that we would be contacted within seven days but that has not happened even when we sent them several emails as a reminder,” she explained.
Phalandwa made it a demand to the Minister of Police Senzo Mchunu to stop prioritising unqualified people and instead concentrate on hiring graduates because they have used NSFAS funds to obtain their qualifications and would gladly like to repay the funds via tax as soon as they have been employed by the police.
She added that their unemployment status causes them depression.
Deputy Convener of the Unemployed Law-enforcement Graduates Sharon Madonsela said they marched to Minister Mchunu’s office to tell him that they have qualifications, they are capable but are not prioritised in terms of employment in the police.
“I have a Bachelor of Arts Honours degree in forensic science technology and yet I don’t get hired while people with engineering degrees are the ones who get hired,” lamented Madonsela.
“Why are you hiring someone with an engineering degree, what does he bring to SAPS, please hire us who did criminology as we have the skills and the knowledge to do the job,” she said.
“We submit our CVs for every post that is being advertised in the SAPS, yet we don’t get employed.
She said day-in and day-out out she cries due to her unemployment status and get her parents are also very depressed as they are now tired of supporting a 26-year-old woman like her.
Upon receiving the memorandum, officials of the Department of Justice promised that they would prioritise employing those among them who have LlB degrees and forensic qualifications.
(SEE ATTACHED FOR A COPY OF THE MEMORANDUM)