Top cops sidelined in probe
25 April 2012
TWO of Grahamstown’s top police officers have been sidelined pending an investigation into allegations of racism and mismanagement at the station. Grahamstown station commander Brigadier Morgan Govender and divisional support head Colonel Dumizani Mapukata have been temporarily transferred to the area manager’s office following internal squabbles.
An investigation was launched last week after the provincial head office received a report alleging mismanagement and racism was rife at the police station.
Mapukata and Govender were instructed by the provincial head office on Friday to report to the office of cluster commander Brigadier Vakala Moyake, and to remain there for the duration of the probe.
Moyake will take on a double role as commander of the Grahamstown station and cluster office.
Senior officials at the station described the investigation as a "smear campaign” after a disagreement between Govender and Mapukata.
The officials, who declined to be named, said Govender had been accused of using an autocratic management style and mismanagement.
However, a senior officer described Govender as a "good commander who has a different but fair and strict” way of managing.
Some officers said the complaint against Govender was "a revenge attack” by other officers who had been reprimanded for not pulling their weight.
"There was a disagreement between Govender and Mapukata after he [Govender] refused to sign a document regarding the financing of a house for a female captain who had transferred to Grahamstown,” the officer said.
"The document was not cleared because it did not go through the correct procedures.
"This seems to have led to the officer trying to rally support to bring Govender down and oust him.”
There are also two criminal cases of crimen injuria against Mapukata for allegedly yelling and screaming at officers based at the station.
Due to the complaint being between top ranks, provincial police established a senior team – including Motherwell police station commander Brigadier Keith Meyer – to investigate the accusations.
Provincial police spokeswoman Brigadier Marinda Mills confirmed the investigation. "The provincial commissioner’s office is busy with an internal investigation with regard to allegations levelled against the station commander of Grahamstown by one of his staff members, an officer,” she said.
"At the same time, the station commander has levelled allegations against this officer.”
Mills refused to provide further details, but confirmed that Govender and Mapukata had been temporarily transferred.
"It is not seen as fair to both parties to make the allegations known without a proper investigation being done,” she said.
"Once the investigation is finalised, consideration will be given with regard to information released to the media.”
Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union provincial secretary Simphiwe Komna said both officers involved were members of the union.
"The matter is very sensitive and I cannot reveal anything relating to it,” he said.
"I can, however, confirm that grievances have been laid and that we are allowing the internal process to unfold.”
Govender – husband of Grahamstown police spokeswoman Captain Mali Govender – was the commander of the Port
Alfred police station before being transferred to Grahamstown in May 2009.
http://www.peherald.com/news/article/5794
