New commander in town

Norkem Park SAPS has a new station commander, and she means business.

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As of February 1, Norkem Park Police Station is under new leadership by the name of Col Nelly Maunatlala (54).
Maunatlala’s plans for the community include stabilising crime.

“I don’t want to promise to crush it to zero but I intend to stabilise it,” affirmed Maunatlala.

The station commander is no stranger to leadership and policing, as she boasts 34 years in the service.

“I started with training in 1986, working under the former Lebowa Police in Pietersburg (now Polokwane). We were the first policewomen in Lebowa in the homelands,” explained Maunatlala.

“After amalgamation, I transferred to Morningside SAPS as a warrant officer in 1998 and then promoted to captain in the 2000s where I was the head of human resources management at the Linden Police Station.

“After restructuring of the department, I served as the head at Vispiol during the World Cup in 2010 when we hosted the Brazil team. They were impressed with the way I was policing and I was recommended and promoted to a major at the Krugersdorp SAPS.”

Maunatlala was later transferred to Thembisa at the Rabasotho Police Station and promoted to lieutenant colonel. She was transferred again as Vispol head at Thembisa South Police Station until she was promoted to her current rank as the station commander.

“During my service within the SAPS, I managed to attain a diploma in policing and a BTech Degree in policing. I took a break while doing my Masters in policing,” said Maunatlala.

The Mqantsa section resident in Thembisa told Express she has always wanted to serve and protect citizens.

“I initially had a passion and wanted to become a soldier but was recruited within the police. I was also happy because it has always been my dream to protect the communities around me. This is my passion and will continue to work hard.”

“Being a station commander is just a rank and I have been carrying out responsibilities for a long time. I have been in the field and have been in the command structure for many years, it is just a matter of acting and continuing to work hard to realise the goal of a safer community.”

This police officer believes in a person improving and empowering themselves academically even within the police and her advice to an aspiring station commander is that education, passion, hard work and dedication are key.

“Continue to uplift yourself to meet the criteria of that which you want. Be confident and know what you are doing. Effective communication is key because the lack of it often leads to a lack of trust.

“To the community, I say that together we have one common goal and we need to work together to reduce crime. Don’t withhold information. I need the cooperation from the community for my crime prevention measures to be effective.”

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