Natty Govender
a highly motivated team under the leadership of Lieutenant-colnel S Pillay and Lieutenant-general M Chetty. Together we produced topquality police officers, including Lieutenant-general Vinesh
Moonoo – chief investigating officer in the Oscar Pistorius murder case.”
At the college, Govender rose rapidly to lieutenant. He then moved on to the head of the drill and musketry sections. He said he thoroughly enjoyed performing precision rifle drill displays at the Military Tattoo, Pietermaritzburg Royal Agricultural Show, and the SAPS 75th anniversary celebration.
He worked as an instructor from 1981 to 1991 and was transferred to Lenasia and then to Kliptown in 1992. He also worked at Eldorado Park as acting station commander.
In 1993, Govender was offered a role in management services and transferred to the provincial head office in Gauteng.
Six months later, he became the area head of management services at the Krugersdorp area head office. In 1994, he was transferred to management services at the provincial head office in Kwazulunatal, where he continued to excel and be promoted.
After his more than three decades as a policeman, Govender said many factors contributed to criminal behaviour – if these were addressed at the appropriate stages, levels and by the relevant authorities, incidents of crime would decrease.
“A strong focus on community values and education as well as socio-economic factors will go a long way in serving as safety nets in people’s behaviour to prevent this from becoming a criminal act,” said Govender.
“Criminals belong to family units – they are fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, children – whose behaviour should be addressed by such family units together with the community and leaders. Men between 18 and 40 years are by far the biggest perpetrators of crime.
“This should be the focus. Police action and the criminal justice system alone are not a solution.”
Govender said he initiated the concept of mobile satellite police stations to serve especially rural communities who did not have easy access to police services.
He said a colleague, who worked under his command, implemented the idea and marketed it extensively in Limpopo. This earned the SAPS a UN Award for innovation in crime prevention and is viewed as the most feasible and economical solution to providing police services to outlying areas, Govender said.
“I initiated the Provincial Commissioner’s Good Performance Award in 2002, and this has become a national standard,” he said.
“I also initiated a monitoring tool referred to as the ‘robot model’, which has been integrated into other corporate performance measurement systems. But my fondest memories of the SAPS were seeing ‘boys’ graduating from college as fully-fledged policemen – ‘turning boys into men’.”
Govender attributes his successes to his parents, Govindasamy and Chambiammal Govender. With the little they had they ensured their children were well taken care of and instilled in them values of honesty, respect, discipline, and a work ethic and integrity by which he has firmly abided all his life.
Inspired by the humanity, leadership qualities, intellectualism and perseverance of international icon Nelson Mandela, Govender said Mandela made him “want to be a better human being”.
“I was only 16 years old when I started working and continued until I turned 60, not having much time to myself,” said Govender.
“Now I want to use this time to rest and do the things I have always wanted to. I will always be available to assist the SAPS in any way it needs me. The SAPS is a marvellous institution and I will miss it very much.”
Colonel Logan Govender, who worked with Govender and is now retired, described him as an “officer and a gentleman”.
“Brigadier Govender was my troop sergeant, my friend, confidant and my dear brother,” said Logan. “We met at the Wentworth Police College 33 years ago and have remained friends. After his basic training he was retained at the college to share his unique skills, wisdom, extraordinary physical fitness, precision, dignity and decorum with the new students.
“I was one who acquired from him immense personal skills resources that kept me in good stead throughout my career as a senior officer. Govender is a highly respected and highly spoken about officer for his unique qualities.
“Members to this day boast about being trained under him.”
Logan said Govender was a man with the “wisdom of Solomon”, integrity, astuteness and respect towards others – “he stands head and shoulders above others”, said Logan.
The fifth SAPS National Excellence Awards were held last Friday at the Inkosi Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre in Durban. The awards are held yearly to recognise and reward outstanding performance, exceptional devotion to community relations and extraordinary courage within the SAPS. Like Govender, who exceeded what was expected of a police officer, other policemen and women were awarded at this event, giving hope that they would continue to carry the torch lit by officers like Govender.