ANCYL comments on Station Commander’s suspension

THE ANC Youth League has reacted to the South African Police’s announcement of the suspension of Alex Police Station Commander Brigadier David Ngcobo.

Ngcobo was suspended with two other senior officers, Visible Policing head, Lieutenant Col Peter Madukumela and Shift Commander Warrant Officer Ezekiel Masupa following the recent killing at the station of Major Thomas Moetlo (59), allegedly by another officer, Sergeant Ronnie Masie (39). Police said Masie also shot and killed his wife and two of her relatives who were with her when she went to report a case of domestic abuse against him.

Masie allegedly also shot at, but missed, two officers as he left the station. He was eventually killed by other officers outside his home in Alex after a shootout with the Tactical Response Team.

National Police Commissioner General Riyah Phiyega welcomed the suspensions.

It emerged during the ongoing investigation of the killings that Masie had been barred from possessing an official weapon because of his history of domestic violence and alleged lack of discipline. It is claimed he got the gun from the station through improper means.

Keith Maphuta chairperson of the ANCYL Andrew Radebe Branch, Ward 116, alleged that the community had, on several occasions, notified provincial police management of its concerns about Ngcobo, but nothing was done. This, he said, included a case years back involving Masie kidnapping his children at gunpoint.

“Management should have taken steps at that time to declare him unfit to possess a gun and also ensured that gun issuing instructions at the station where tightened,” he said.

Maphutha speculated that the killings – which occurred in what should be a securely guarded place – could encourage criminals to invade the station and release accomplices who may be in the cells.

Maphutha added that in one of their marches to the station last year, they submitted a petition calling for Ngcobo’s removal following the death of a woman, Aphiwe Zweni, who was killed by the police.

“The petition submitted to the Independent Police Investigation Department [Ipid] called for his removal after concerns that he had failed to create a positive working relationship between the police and the community,” he said.

“Zweni, who was linked to a group being sought by the police, was unarmed and should not have been killed had police acted within the law. We still await the conclusion of Ipid’s investigation.”

Another concern about the station was poor police visibility which, he said, contributed to Alex’s high rate of rape, house robberies, muggings, murders, road accidents and domestic violence.

“As a result, residents have opted not to report some of the crimes due to police’s slow reaction time and alleged bribery and collusion of criminals with some police officers,” he claimed.

Maphutha added that the station’s weak management had rubbed off onto the Community Policing Forum which seemingly has stopped conducting patrols which require accompaniment by police officers.

“The forum, which should be our vanguard, is now more office-based, out of touch with its mandate of public visibility to deter crime, and hasn’t conducted annual general meetings to account to the community on the oversight role of the police,” he concluded.