The former head of the City of Cape Town’s Safety and Security Investigation Unit, Reynold Talmakkies, has decided to retire just as his disciplinary hearing got under way last week.
According to a source, Talmakkies was set to face additional allegations after his suspension last year following a High Court judgement, which found he had breached security protocols at the Mitchells Plain Regional Court, while his son stood trial for murder.
In the shocking judgement, it was revealed that a magistrate had recused herself from the case after she was approached by Talmakkies and told that he was “heading a certain section of the police department” and that he was the father of the accused.
Talmakkies’ son David, along with Garth Lamb, were arrested for the murder of Cape Town rapper Chad du Plessis, who was stabbed to death outside his brother’s house in Strandfontein on 5 December 2020.
According to the judgement, the murder trial was brought to a halt in September 2022 when the magistrate revealed that Talmakkies had approached her in the court’s parking area.
While the High Court judges ruled that the magistrate should not have recused herself, they highlighted the security breach, saying the Mitchells Plain court management should take corrective measures to address it.
City spokesperson, Luthando Tyhalibongo, confirmed: “The disciplinary hearing was scheduled to proceed on 14 March 2024. The City can confirm that additional charges were indeed added which formed part of the hearing that was scheduled to proceed on 14 March. Mr Talmakkies retired with immediate effect as of 14 March.”
Speaking to the Weekend Argus, Talmakkies confirmed that he had left the municipality, but did not comment on the reasons, only saying: “I did not resign, I went on retirement.”
Mayco member for Safety and Security, JP Smith, said of Talmakkies: “He has helped to bring some bad people to book, including those who murdered City staff, and for that we are grateful. But all of the good he has done could not stand against the serious allegations he faced.”
Meanwhile, the murder trial of Talmakkies’ son resumed in February and has since been postponed to 5 April.