Several senior police officers in the Northern Cape were appointed in vacant senior manager posts on Tuesday (04/10).
The appointments were announced by provincial police commissioner, Lt Genl Koliswa Otola.
This comes after many of the vacancies in the province were sustained for a very long time with acting incumbents.
These newly appointed senior officers were promoted to Brigadier, effective from 1 October, in various positions and environments within the province.
The senior officers who were promoted are:
Brig Johan Myburgh, provincial head: Organised Crime;
Brig Irene Kopeledi, provincial head: Proactive Policing;
Brig Clayton du Plooy, provincial head: Serious and Violent Crimes;
Brig Schalk Andrews, district commander of Namakwa;
Brig Petrus Coetzee, station commander Upington;
Brig Nicholas Mtongana, station commander Kimberley; and
Brig Gerald Zwane, provincial head: Commercial Crime.
Before presenting the new officers with their brigadier rank, Otola requested them “to pick up the ball and continue as the message is clear” of what is expected of them.
The people of the province need stability and commitment, and they must be served with pride and diligence as they (the officers) are the servants, Otola said.
The chairperson of the Northern Cape Community Policing Board, Ephraim Homan, stated that these appointments will bring stability to the province and will send a clear message to criminals that together “we will squeeze the space” for them to operate.
Wycliff Mkhontwana, the Popcru representative, said the newly appointed brigadiers were promoted based on their work ethics, dedication and loyalty to the service.
Otola, accompanied by the deputy provincial commissioner: Corporate Services, Maj Genl Henriëtte de Waal and the provincial head: Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, Maj Genl Kholekile Galawe; and in the presence of provincial management, the provincial Community Policing Forum chairperson, Ephraim Homan and representatives of labour unions, presented the new ranks to the seven senior managers.
