New Col brings wealth of experience to new role

The Springs Police Station has a new visible policing commander in Col Eric Mandlakayise Mhlongo.

He joined the station at the beginning of April and brings with him 32 years of experience as a police officer.

Mhlongo is familiar with the East Rand and Ekurhuleni as he has previously been stationed in Brakpan, Germiston and Bedforview.

Who is Mhlongo?

I was born in 1965 in Nkandla, KwaZulu-Natal.

I finished matric in 1987 and moved to Johannesburg in 1988, where I joined the Brixton SAPS as a student.

I went to the police college in 1989 and then went to Booysen SAPS in 1991.

What does it mean to do visible policing?

I’ve been part of visible policing my whole career.

I’ve always been in uniform.

You are the first people who are visible on the ground.

That includes the vehicles marked visible policing doing patrols, the members working in court and shift members, basically all the people who come into direct contact with the public fall under me.

How would you describe your style of leadership?

I’m active.

I like to know what is going on in each sector, so I’m always on the road conducting patrols as well.

Once I’m done with the office work, I like to be outside with my members.

I always say, if you see a fat visible policing commander, there’s something wrong.

I also work with the community.

If you win over the community, you win the fight against crime.

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How do you interact with the community in and outside of your duties?

You have to have integrity in every situation.

You never know who is watching you.

People must not look at you and get a bad image of the police.

People must feel safe knowing you’re around.

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I enjoy working with the community.

Without the community, you can’t enjoy this job.

You must know the people you’re working with and they must know you.

There must be communication between you and the community.

The police cannot work alone.

I came here to work with the public, not be friends with them.

We have a common goal of fighting crime.

How different is it doing visible policing in Springs compared to Bedfordview?

Springs is bigger and has a combination of suburbs, informal settlements and rural areas.
Bedfordview only had three sectors, which were all suburbs, whereas Springs has six.

Additionally, Bedfordview has cameras everywhere.
You couldn’t drive a stolen vehicle through Bedfordview without cameras catching you.

What are you hoping to achieve during your term?
The results must speak for themselves. I want to reduce the crime rate in Springs.

If you arrive at a place, you must improve on the results or situation you found there.

People must remember you and the work you did.

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