Police spokesperson, Adele Myburgh, tells OFM News that the reservists are rendering a voluntary service, without payment or benefits, according to the National Instruction 3 of 2014. Her response comes after at least 600 irate reservists across all districts in the province accused the police of denying them employment for over 15 years. 

READ MORE: NW SAPS reservists up in arms

These reservists say they want to be hired permanently without any conditions attached to their employment, and have since further threatened to take their battle to the Union Building in Pretoria in a protest today.

READ MORE: Irate NW SAPS reservists head to Union Building

"I can confirm that all active reservists in the province were afforded the opportunity to apply to become permanently employed by the SAPS. Due to Covid-19 Regulations, the recruitment processes have been halted, but will continue in due course," Mybrugh adds.

Responding further to OFM News' inquiry, she states that "if a reservist is killed or injured in the line of duty, the police will pay the medical expenses (Injury On Duty), funeral expenses, as well as a death grant. The same benefits that apply to a permanently employed police officer, apply to a reservist when injured or killed whilst on duty".

The 600 reservists have since taken a stand and written to President Cyril Ramaphosa and Police Minister, Bheki Cele, but it's understood that they are yet to receive any response from both the president and minister over permanent employment.

The reservists, who are up in arms against the recruitment policies or processes in the five districts, including Dr Kenneth Kaunda, Bojanala, and the Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati District, have accused the police service of living in limbo for years.

A source in the upper echelons of the police earlier said some of the reservists have more than 15 years of service without receiving a penny, and allegedly were made false promises of permanent employment.

OFM News