Cape Town - Axed top cop Major-General Jeremy Vearey said he would be a fool to testify as a crucial witness in court cases involving high-ranking gang and underworld figures if his protection and security were not guaranteed and while a “threat” still existed.
The MK veteran with 40 years’ experience in the police force, was vindicated this week when the Labour Court found that the arbitration proceedings following his dismissal were unfair, and should be heard anew before a new arbitrator.
Vearey was fired in June 2021 following his Facebook posts between December 2020 and February 2021, which made reference to the then National Police Commissioner Khethla Sithole.
Despite no longer sporting his police uniform and living off his pension, Vearey has set his sights on resolving the Prevention of Organised Crime (Poca) cases he had started while serving the Western Cape’s Head of Detectives, involving notorious underworld figures.
But this could not be done if his security was not guaranteed, as a threat still existed, he said: “The fact that I am of retirement age does not mean that I am not committed to finish, provided the necessary safety and security concerns get taken into account.”
“But that will be a matter for the NPA (National Prosecuting Authority) and the police to decide whether to fight the existing threat, which has never disappeared and whether they will see it fit to do what they are supposed to do.
“I cannot be testifying if I do not receive protection. I am committed, but not at the cost of my life.
“That would be foolish of me to take such a decision and the State knows what they must provide based on a previous court order.”
Vearey was unable to disclose which cases he would be testifying in they as they are sub judice.
According to the court order obtained shortly after his dismissal, Vearey was to be provided protection as a State witness, and two tactical officers had to be at his side during his labour battle with the police.
In 2022, Vearey took the witness stand at the Cape High Court where he detailed the procedures and structures of the 28s prison gang during the trial of 20 Terrible Josters gang members.
In 2021, it was revealed that his cellphone was allegedly intercepted by underworld figure Nafiz Modack whose trial is set to resume in the Cape High Court next month.
“There are many cases that I will be called in to testify but it comes from my previous work as head of detectives,” he said.
“Cases take years, especially some of these Poca cases.”
Richard Mamabolo of the Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union (Popcru) said Vearey’s case was an example of the abuse of senior officials’ powers: “One of the other matters we have been focused on is to have the expeditious process being scrapped by the SAPS as it has proven to be abused by senior SAPS managers in firing officers without due process.”
Brigadier Athlenda Mathe of the National Police’s office said they had noted that the matter was referred back to the Safety and Security Sectoral Bargaining Council (SSSBC) for hearing before a new arbitrator: “The matter is therefore still sub-judice, and as such we will not comment on a pending labour matter.”
The SSBC did not respond to Weekend Argus queries.