Prioritising tight collaboration with the community in the battle against crime, Brigadier Raymond Buthelezi recently took the reins of the Springs Police Station as station commander.
On May 2, after 36 years in the police service, Buthelezi was appointed after former station commander Brigadier Thembeka Gwebushe retired in February.
His SAPS career started at the Germiston Police Station at the age of 21, where, throughout the years of working there, he has been appointed to all ranks of service, from a lieutenant to a captain.
He previously worked as the head of visible policing (Vispol) before he took on the roles of station commander at Eden Park, Katlehong North, and Orange Farm.
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“I spent most of my years in operations in the Vispol division trying to avoid positions such as station commander. However, it came to a point where I was now at a senior level, and I was forced to take on a new role as the commander of the station.”
Even though running a station can be quite demanding, Buthelezi has promised to do everything within his power to reduce crime in Springs and facilitate the restoration of improved relations between the public and the police.
Buthelezi strongly believes that police officers must be relatable to the community, as their duty is not only about fighting crime but also engaging with the people, and that police need to work closely with communities to reach tangible results.
He alludes to the fact that with Springs being among the top prioritised areas in the province due to the volume of crime, his mission is to partner with local stakeholders and the community.
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“Springs has challenges with illegal mining, theft of motor vehicles, business robberies and house burglaries.
These crimes cannot be prevented by police; that’s where we need a partnership with the community.
“There are crimes that we can police as SAPS, however, there are some that are completely out of our control. My task is to get everyone involved to help us fight crime.
“I am looking forward to strengthening the relationship between the police and the community. I want to revive community policing forums and sub-forums as well as neighbourhood and business watches so that we can stabilise crime in the community together.”
