In announcing former local cluster commander Brigadier Morgan Govender’s appointment to the equivalent position in Port Alfred, police have kept tight-lipped about the movement of senior officers in Grahamstown.
In announcing former local cluster commander Brigadier Morgan Govender’s appointment to the equivalent position in Port Alfred, police have kept tight-lipped about the movement of senior officers in Grahamstown.
Police spokesperson, Lieutenant Luvuyo Mjekula, said Govender, who was a highly-regarded academic with more than 35 years’ service in the South African Police Service (SAPS), took up the position last week.
“His operational achievements, as well as his strong leadership qualities, will be an asset to the Port Alfred cluster,” Mjekula said.
“He is no stranger to the Port Alfred community as he worked in the cluster between January 2007 and April 2009, before being returned to Grahamstown. “Brigadier Govender is looking forward to working closely with the local community in the battle against crime.”
During his time as cluster commander and station commissioner of SAPS Port Alfred Govender restructured Sector Policing and revived the Community Policing Forum (CPF).
“He formed good partnerships with the community and other government and non-government organisations, working closely with the Mayor’s office and councillors in Port Alfred,” Mjekula said.
Govender says service delivery is his key objective.
“I would like the community of Port Alfred and surrounding areas to work very closely with the SAPS. I urge them to join the various platforms such as the CPF and the sector forums,” Govender said.
“I also want assistance from the community in reporting all incidents of poor service delivery and corruption by members of the South African Police Service directly to me.
“In 2009 the post of cluster commander was downgraded and I had no option but to be transferred back to Grahamstown.
“When the post of cluster commander was upgraded to a brigadier I applied for it and I was placed here by the National Commissioner, Lieutenant General Khomotso Phahlane.”
Govender became station commander, and later cluster commander, of Grahamstown until his recent short stint at the Provincial Headquarters in Zwelitsha.
Govender’s office is located in Masonic Street and he can be contacted at 082 779 7115. In March reliable sources revealed that two top Grahamstown police officers were removed from their posts following allegations of internal disputes.
It was revealed at the time that Govender had left his job to take up a new position as Eastern Cape Commander of Visible Policing. Meanwhile, former Grahamstown Station Commander, Colonel Vivian Tembani had at that time reportedly been redeployed to Mthatha.
Sources said that Tembani is now a Station Commander in Joza, Colonel Syed Cassim is Joza Acting Cluster Commander and Lieutenant Colonel Monray Nel is Grahamstown station Acting Station Commander.
Yesterday Eastern Cape police spokesperson Colonel Sibongile Soci said the SAPS is a dynamic organisation and it is not their policy to discuss operational matters with the media.
“It is always important that in every station there is a station commander who manages and commands the station personnel.
“The community of the Eastern Cape is assured that policing will not be affected by any movement of personnel.
“Policing, crime investigation and combating remain the priority of the SAPS,” said Soci.
