PRETORIA — Suspended head of South Africa’s Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) Robert McBride will face his disciplinary hearing on July 27.
McBride was charged over the illegal deportation of Zimbabweans including those suspected of killing a senior police officer in Bulawayo in 2010.
The chairman of the hearing, advocate Phillip Mokoena SC, on Tuesday turned down McBride’s application for a stay of the hearing pending the outcome of his constitutional challenge regarding his suspension and the validity of his hearing.
His constitutional challenge will be heard by the High Court in Pretoria on August 25 and 26.
Turning down his application to put the hearing on hold, Mokoena said McBride would not suffer irreparable harm if it went ahead.
“To the contrary, the disciplinary inquiry will furnish the employee (McBride) with a platform and an opportunity to vindicate his labour rights as enshrined in the Constitution.”
The matter is of huge public importance and has attracted a lot of public interest, Mokoena said.
It would not be in the public interest nor justice to be stayed pending the outcome of the constitutional challenge, which may only be in the distant future.
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McBride was suspended about three months ago after allegations of misconduct were levelled against him regarding his role in the latest Ipid investigation report on the illegal rendition of Zimbabwean nationals in 2010.
The latest report, which McBride said was the final one, exonerated both (now former) Hawks head Anwa Dramat and Gauteng head of the Hawks Shadrack Sibiya of being involved in the illegal rendition.
Both these men were earlier suspended and faced a disciplinary inquiry into their alleged roles in the illegal renditions. Dramat had meanwhile quit his job.
Shortly before his suspension by Police Minister Nathi Nhleko, McBride turned to the High Court in an urgent bid to avoid the move to suspend him.
But in March Judge Hans Fabricius struck the matter off the roll, finding that it was not urgent. This meant McBride had to await his turn on the normal court roll.
— Pretoria News
