New heads take over two Bay police stations

A number of senior police officers have been appointed to critical posts across the Eastern Cape following a string of interviews in recent weeks.

Eastern Cape police commissioner Lieutenant-General Liziwe Ntshinga said among those appointed were two brigadier rank posts at police stations in Nelson Mandela Bay.

Motherwell police station has been taken over by Brigadier Michael Solani while the Mount Road station is now headed by Brigadier Marius Groenewald.

Other provincial appointments include corporate communications head Brigadier Tembinkosi Kinana, organised crime head Brigadier Duduzile Nculu and family violence, child protection and sexual offences head Brigadier Sheperd Khonza.

Two deputy provincial commissioner posts were also filled with human resource management being assigned to MajorGeneral Thobeka Kunene and crime detection to Major-General Zithulele Dladla.

Other new police station commanders include Brigadier Asogran Naidoo in Mthatha, Brigadier Wiseman Chiya in Lusikisiki, and Brigadier Aslam Cassim in Mdantsane.

“The appointment of the station commanders could not come at a better time as last week the province hosted a national launch of the Safer Festive Season Operation aimed at ensuring that our citizens and their property are safe during the festive season and beyond,” Ntshinga said.

“They are also tasked with the crucial duty of providing leadership in these stations which happen to be some of the busiest clusters.”

She said the positions became vacant for various reasons including retirement.

Some were also newly established and fully fledged independent components under crime detection. “It was crucial for Eastern Cape management to ensure these critical vacant posts are filled as soon as possible ,” Ntshinga said.

“It must be done so that service delivery is not hampered or delayed.

“These candidates have undergone a rigorous and objective process of assessment and selection to test their suitability in the fields in which they applied.”

All the posts were effective from November 1.