Memorial held for slain Alex cop
ALEXANDRA - Provincial Police Commissioner sends stern warning to station commanders
Gauteng Provincial Police Commissioner General Lesetja Mothiba has warned police station commanders to brace themselves for a shake up if they were found to be lax in the management of their stations.
This, he said, was to ensure police performed their work to the satisfaction of taxpayers to whom the police are accountable.
Mothiba said this at the Eastbank Hall to a packed audience comprising the public and police officers from many stations who were gathered for the memorial of Major Thomas Moetlo who was killed in his office by another officer, Constable Ronnie Letsie last week.
Mothiba said the incident, in which Constable Masie also allegedly killed his wife and two of her relatives, followed by his own death by other officers outside his home in Alex, had shocked the nation.
He said this resulted in him, other senior provincial officers and National Police Commissioner Riyah Piyega being summoned to Parliament.
“Preliminary investigations indicate that the incident could have been avoided had the station management exercised their duties diligently. The incident resulted in the suspension yesterday of the Station Commander Brigadier David Ngcobo, two other a senior officers and more may be suspended as the investigation unfolds,” said Mothiba.
He said other stations may suffer the same consequences if it is found they are not complying with the rules and regulations governing their operations.
Mothiba said it was incomprehensible how the late Letsie had acquired the gun used to kill his victims from the community services centre after his own police issue weapon had been withdraw in March.
“It was only proper to effect the suspensions to enable thorough investigations to determine all causal factors that lead to the incident,” he said.
Mothiba said investigations had revealed that many police officers had called the local radio station expressing concern about poor management at the station and the possibility of serious incidents occurring, but nothing was reported to senior provincial management. These concerns will form part of the ongoing investigations.
He added that the concerns reflected a bomb waiting to explode and which should be avoided. He revealed that dialogue will be initiated among police officers, the community and related structures such as the policing forum.
“Its purpose will be to explore issues bothering officers, in particular the younger ones who seem to be struggling and committing suicide after killing their spouses, family members or their colleagues.”
The dialogue, he said, would expose the few officers disposed to acting in ways contrary to their official obligation. “Such officers will be named and shamed.”
Others paying tribute to Moetlo, including the police unions Sapu and Popcru, the Alex Police Forum and his friends who asked for intensified psychological services to the police to help heal the trauma they experience from daily exposure to danger.
“Alex police station needs prayers to heal,” said Nick Mahamba, a friend to the slain Moetlo.
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