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Taking a cue from erstwhile government spokesperson Jimmy Manyi and his infamous ‘too many coloured people in Cape Town’ comment, SAPS Paarl station commander, Brigadier Nokuthula Pete, is in hot water for commenting on social media that “Paarl is too white”.

Brigadier Pete was suspended after she wrote a reply to another officer on Facebook, suggesting the officer apply to work at the station in Paarl.

Pete wrote: “This bald head is just like you; we don’t have a Lieutenant-Colonel in Finance and Accounting so you get ready.” The other officer requested Pete ‘send an email to another SAPS boss’ to get the ball rolling, to which the station commander responded: “Put it in and you say Transfer Finance Paarl we will sign so I can change this white supremacy because Paarl is white.”

Action Society Director Ian Cameron, who has been on SAPS case for a while now about their inability to tackle crime, was quick to call for Brigadier Pete’s disciplinary action to get going.

“Pete should have motivated and united police officers in the fight against violence in the area, but instead stirred up racial tensions, harming police morale in an area already plagued by serious investigative capacity shortages.

According to Cameron, Pete “took sick leave shortly after the incident and prolonged her annual leave, meaning she hasn’t returned to her post, creating the impression that she is trying to avoid facing the consequences of her actions.”

“Pete made it known on Facebook in December last year that she believed SAPS in Paarl is ‘too white’.

Pete has not been back at work since the comments surfaced and SAPS has been tight-lipped about her disciplinary case.

Police spokesperson Andrè Traut confirmed an internal investigation is underway.

“Kindly be advised that the disciplinary investigation pertaining to the social media post of the Paarl station commander is under way. This is, however, an internal process, and on this basis, the finer aspects of the matter are not discussed with third parties.”

Ai tog, another ignorant statement about race on social media is not helping anybody.

If you want to rant about too much of a certain colour, take a drive past that god-awful pink house with yellow trim in Vredehoek.

[source:iol]