New Boksburg SAPS team promises a turnaround

New top commanders at Boksburg SAPS are determined to turn things around within this policing precinct.

The community accused this police station of failing to fight crime and service delivery.
Dissatisfied residents have over the years complained about poor performance and even corruption characterised by declining levels of discipline among members, poor management and poor investigations.
However, the police station now has new management – Vispol commander Lieutenant Colonel Lusha Govender and detective branch commander Lieutenant Colonel Flippie Bronkhorst – who promise to address the identified issues and restore public trust and confidence in the Boksburg SAPS.

The members told the Boksburg Advertiser the management team has developed strategies they expected to expedite service delivery and boost the fight against crime, particularly in hotspots.
Govender and Bronkhorst both have extensive experience in turn-around strategies within precincts.

Lieutenant Colonel Govender
Govender’s career started in 1998 when she joined the Brakpan SAPS as a constable.

She remained at the station until 2009 when she was promoted and deployed to the crime intelligence unit at the Boksburg SAPS. Here she was tasked with analysing trends and identifying syndicates, which helped her gain better knowledge of what was taking place in the area.
She was subsequently promoted and deployed back to Brakpan SAPS where she served as an operational commander before again being promoted to a higher rank as Lieutenant Colonel at Benoni SAPS.
In December, Govender was deployed to Boksburg SAPS to assist with reducing the high levels of crime.

“We have seen significant decreases in the crime since we arrived in December. This is evident in the stats compared to the previous year. It is looking good.
“We don’t want to take all the credit, but as long as we work with our members – encourage them to be hands-on and also be on the ground with them – we will deliver positive results,” explained Govender.

Lieutenant Colonel Bronkhorst
Bronkhorst’s career in the SAPS started in 1986 as a student at the Brakpan SAPS. He was accepted at the police training college and returned to Brakpan SAPS as a constable after completing his training.

In 1990, he became a detective and his dedication and commitment saw him being promoted to Captain and allowed to be a leader of a group of detectives.
About two decades later, Bronkhorst was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel and transferred to the Benoni Detective Branch where he served as the commander for two years before he became detective branch commander at Daveyton SAPS.

“I am here to see that the communities we serve receive the service they deserve and are satisfied with the feedback they get from our detectives.
“Among the challenges I have identified is finding complainants who opened cases, particularly in the informal settlements with no clear addresses and street names.
“I want to request the public that when they report cases to ensure that they give accurate addresses and contact details. They must also feel free to follow up on these cases.”

Bronkhorst said preventing and fighting crime has always been his passion.
“When I was an investigating officer, I enjoyed dealing with serious and violent crimes, like murder, armed robberies, inquests and culpable homicides, where you have to work hard to track down the suspects.
“I will leave no stone unturned in ensuring that those who break the law face justice. We will ensure the members are visible and active in areas where we experience the highest crime rate.”

Lack of feedback
Responding to the Advertiser’s question about complaints about lack of feedback from detectives, Bronkhorst encouraged residents to contact him directly.
“If you are not getting any joy from the detectives, my office door is open.”

Partnership
The station is dedicated to joining hands with the public, local organisations and the private sector in the fight against crime.

Current trends
The precinct is battling high levels of motor vehicle-related crimes, from hijackings to theft of motor vehicles and motorcycles (mostly delivery motorbikes) and an increase in the trend of opportunistic crimes, including smash-and-grabs and theft out of motor vehicles.

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