Govender returned to work on Monday, February 2, after he had been forced to take a week’s leave.
The Brakpan cluster commander, Brig Wessie Westhuizen, asked Govender to take leave a day after dozens of placard-brandishing off-duty police members converged on the Boksburg Police Station, to demand the removal of their station commander, on Thursday, January 22.
The leave expired and he returned to work, prompting police and community members to stage a protest at the police station against him for the second time. They again demanded that he be removed.
This prompted the Gauteng SAPS top management to intervene and they subsequently issued a directive that Govender should stay in his post.
Police officers at the station expressed their disappointment at the management’s decision, and claimed that they are now being victimised for exercising their constitutional right.
They levelled various accusations at Govender, including failure to deal with employees’ grievances properly, adding that the station is in dire need of some form of intervention to ensure the best police service is provided to the community.
One officer pointed out that the station is understaffed, seriously under-resourced and that officers are operating from a dilapidated building and are overworked.
Throughout this leadership saga, Govender has always maintained his innocence, adding that he is innocent until proven guilty
-@FanieBoksburg
