The station has been without a permanent commander since Brig Govindsamy Mariemuthoo, who is now acting commander at the Jeppe Police Station, left Benoni amidst news of his prolonged absences from work.
Figures revealed in the Gauteng Legislature showed that the brigadier, during his tenure in Benoni, had taken 106 days sick leave, 39 days study leave, 122 days normal vacation and capped leave, as well as three days of family responsibility leave.
Police bosses investigated this until, in April, when he was removed from his post as the station commander of Benoni and his salary was frozen for a month.
He was, however, reinstated following a Labour Court ruling.
In May, South African Police Union general secretary Oscar Skommere told the City Times that the union also applied for an order preventing provincial police commissioner Gen Mzwandile Petros, his deputy Maj-Gen Pumla Gela and Benoni cluster commander Brig Vuyokazi Ndebele, from “intimidating” Mariemuthoo.
Ndebele then denied intimidating Mariemuthoo, saying: “I’m a disciplined officer who just wants people to deliver as promised and, if they don’t, I will definitely demand answers on why things are not right.”
Now a question on whether there exists any light at the end of the tunnel as far as the station commander is concerned was raised at a CPF meeting in the City Hall on July 17.
Responding to the question, Benoni head of visible policing Col Thomas Maupa said that there will be an answer soon.
“We will know within 21 days,” said Maupa.
Maupa said that a memorandum handed to the police during the recent march organised by the Benoni CPF also demanded the appointment of a full time commander.
