Question NW3950 to the Minister of Police
14 December 2017 - NW3950
America, Mr D to ask the Minister of Police
(1)What are the names of the Brigadier-Generals in the SA Police Service who failed to attain security clearance; (2) will they be dismissed from their position; if not, why not; if so, on what date?
Reply:
(1) and (2) There are two Major-Generals whose files were closed in 2016, without issuing the clearance certificates. Their files were closed because they had not submitted all the required documentation.
These Major-Generals are now required to re-apply, in terms of the new directive by the National Commissioner. The directive instructs all Generals and Brigadiers to submit their applications before the end of December 2017. Their names cannot yet be disclosed, considering that, together with all members of senior management, they have been afforded the opportunity to re-apply within the stipulated time frames.
In the interim, members of the Senior Management Service (SMS), are being dealt with in terms of Section 70 and 71 of the South African Police Service Act, which require them to take an oath of secrecy.
Furthermore, consistent with the requirements of the Minimum Information Security Standards (MISS) policy, the respective supervisors must, at the end of every financial year, furnish a certificate regarding the security conduct of persons who do not yet possess security clearance certificates.
The MISS policy states, amongst others, that “the screening authority will merely make a recommendation regarding the security competence of the person concerned, to the head of the requesting institution, and this should in no way be seen as a final testimonial, as far as the utilisation of the person is concerned”. The relevant legislation and the MISS do not provide for the dismissal of persons who fail to obtain security clearance certificates.
Taking the above into account, it is clear that each case will have to be considered on its own merit.