Mitchell’s Plain police station gets a new commander in December.
SAPS acting provincial commissioner, Major-General Albert Maghashalala, promoted Colonel Lindiwe Dyantyi to brigadier as from October 1 and that she would take over the reins in Mitchell’s Plain.
On Monday October 10, Captain Frederick van Wyk told the Plainsman that Brigadier Dyantyi is expected to start duty in December.
He said that Colonel Anthony Roux has been appointed as the acting station commander and that operations have not been affected following the retirement of Brigadier Cass Goolam on his 60th birthday on Friday September 30.
“The station is continuing with its operations and service delivery is taking on a daily basis – all operational,” he said.
Mitchell’s Plain Community Police Forum chairman, Norman Jantjes, told the Plainsman that he would have liked for Brigadier Dyantyi to hit the road running. “Our challenges are huge in Mitchell’s Plain.
“I trust that she has some working experience with gangs – that is Mitchell’s Plain’s main contributor towards murder, gun and gang-related crimes,’’ he said.
He said that Brigadier Goolam had done some investigations into the Prevention of Organised Crime Act activities in the area.
Mr Jantjes said Brigadier Dyantyi should embrace the expertise within her staff, their wisdom, experience and intelligence.
She should use and strengthen community police partnership, he said.
“If it is effective there can be more sub-forums, block committees, street committees and neighbourhood watches.
“As a CPF we trust that she would share the vision of building unity among the safety structure that is between the community and SAPS and the CPF and other safety groups like the neighbourhood watch,” he said.
Mr Jantjes said that Brigadier Goolam ran the station as a collective with daily meetings and that Colonel Roux came from within the local police station’s ranks.
“He is familiar with the strategies, strengths and challenges of staff. They all know one another and there is an element of trust,” said Mr Jantjes.
• A man, 61, was due to appear in the Mitchell’s Plain Magistrate’s Court on Monday October 10 on charges of drug possession.
He was stopped and searched during a crime prevention operation in Harmony Square in the Town Centre on Friday October 7 at 7.10am and police confiscated mandrax tablets, also known as five stars, and cash of R464.
• Police arrested a 19-year-old man in Moira Street, Tafelsig, on Friday October 7 at 6pm for allegedly dealing in drugs.
They confiscated 24 heroin straws. The teenager was due in Mitchell’s Plain Magistrate’s Court on Monday October 10.
• Another teen was due in Mitchell’s Plain Magistrate’s Court on Monday October 10 after police searched him in Charley Street, Beacon Valley and confiscated two parcels of dagga, 10 bankies of dagga and cash of R450.
• Mitchell’s Plain police are investigating the murder of a man, 25, in Giraffe Street, Eastridge, on Monday October 10 at about 11pm.
Mitchell’s Plain SAPS members received a complaint of a stabbing. Police spokesman, Captain Ian Williams, said that the man had a stab wound to his chest and was declared dead on the scene. “The motive is possibly gang related,” he said.
A follow-up investigation led to the arrest of a man, 32, who was taken in for questioning.
Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call investigating officer, Detective-Sergeant Angus November, from the station’s Serious and Violent Crimes Investigation Department, on 079 894 1511.
Colonel Roux said that the police would continue tirelessly to clamp down on crime in the area.
He commended SAPS members for their hard work and dedication and thanked the community for their support in reporting crime. “Members of the community are urged to report all elements of criminality in their area by calling the SAPS Crime Stop toll-free line on 086 001 0111,” Colonel Roux said.
