Johannesburg – The SA Police Service has received papers in an urgent Labour Court application challenging a decision to change reporting lines, it said on Wednesday.

The application was brought by the SA Police Union (Sapu) after national police commissioner Riah Phiyega decide to streamline how officials reported to her, Lt-Gen Solomon Makgale said in a statement.

The decision was announced on 31 August.

Sapu argued that the changes constituted a restructuring, which was subject to consultation under a safety and security sectoral bargaining council agreement.

Makgale said the police had met the union to discuss the matter and had told the union it was mistaken.

“They effectively want to encroach on the legal mandate of the national commissioner to organise her office in such a way that she is able to deliver on the constitutional mandate of the SA Police Service,” said Makgale.

He said all Phiyega was required to do prior to making the decision was to discuss it with the individuals concerned.

Sapu general secretary Oscar Skommere said on Wednesday that the union had filed an application with the court. The matter would be heard on 24 October.

He said nothing had come of talks with the police.

“We are saying restructuring, in terms of the agreement, is a consultation matter and they were supposed to consult with us and they did not do that.”

Makgale said the police would oppose the matter.

“Management is comfortable with the fact that the definition of what constitutes restructuring is going to be tested before the court.

“The reason for this is because similar changes were done many times in the past and those changes were never consulted upon with the unions and were never challenged in court,” he said.

– SAPA