Top cop on a mission to wipe out crime
COLONEL Gregory David Joseph said he was committed to stamping out crime for good. He was recently appointed station commander for Amanzimtoti SAPS.
Raised in Clairwood, Joseph lives in Newlands West with his wife and two children. He had served as the acting station commander in Sydenham since 2021.
Joseph matriculated at Apollo Secondary in 1982 and has a diploma in police administration from Technikon SA.
He said his love of serving the community was the reason why he joined the police force: “I have served in the force for many years and have always been career-driven. I love the work.”
Joseph was one of the key figures responsible for recovering the infamous blue couch that was stolen during the civil unrest in July 2021. He said that was one of his career highlights.
“Another highlight was the 15 years I spent in Hillcrest. There, I worked as a visible policing commander as well as an acting station commander.”
He said vehicle theft and housebreaking were the biggest threats to residential areas in Amanzimtoti.
“There are also opportunistic crimes, such as the theft of cellphones and jewellery. All crimes, from petty to serious, are manageable and our force is hard at work, particularly in hot-spot areas.”
He described his aims of office in his new role.
“I aim to become close to the community and residents of Amanzimtoti. It is also a prerogative of mine to ensure I prioritise members of this station. It is important that they are looked after and also ensure they do their job accordingly.
“We are also working hand-inhand with the Amanzimtoti Community Policing Forum to ensure the safety of residents.”
He said there were various factors that contributed to crime.
“One is poverty. Crime is the only way they sustain themselves. Another is people just being greedy.
“The third reason I have observed is people who are dealing with drug addiction. These issues need to be dealt with.”
When he isn’t working, Joseph said he enjoys quiet time with his family.
“I have a challenging job and have to avail myself regularly, even late at night. I’m in charge of overseeing different departments, from detectives and the crime prevention unit, to the administrative department and more.”
He said he that when he retires in five years, he looked forward to travelling with his wife.