Fifth station commander in five years

ALBERTON – He will be replacing Colonel Thembekile Evidence Kubone, who has officially been the station commander for less than a year. Colonel Kubone has been transferred to Parkview SAPS.

The previous station commanders were; Colonel Matlala, Colonel Van Vuuren, Colonel Kubheka and Colonel Kubone.

When the RECORD asked for the dates when different station commanders started working at Alberton SAPS and when they left, they were told that the information is not available.

“The Provincial Commissioner appoints station commanders and transfers them, and in that process no reason is given to anyone. Only the involved parties are informed,” said Sergeant Nkuna, Alberton SAPS spokesperson.

The RECORD has previously reported on a monthly POPCRU and SAPU union meeting which took place eight months ago, on October 30, 2014. This meeting was described as a normal union meeting but victimisation and harassment by the station commander was on the agenda.

When Sergeant Nkuna was asked if union members usually sing and dance before meetings, he stood by his previous answer and added that the union members are impatient, but did not give a reason for this.

The station commander did not attend the meeting in October. It was explained that there are different unions and that this might be the reason why she is not attending. It was also noted that the meeting was open for anyone to attend, except for the media.

The notification for the October 2014 meeting, posted on a wall at the police station, described the meeting as a general meeting and invited all members of POPCRU and SAPU. At the bottom of the notification it urged members to come in their numbers.