Benoni SAPS welcomes another station commander

Brigadier Khumbulani Mbatha recently became Benoni Police Station’s fourth station commander in six years.

Mbatha launched his law enforcement career in 1989 patrolling the streets of Nigel, where he steadily climbed the ranks to captain and superintendent, in 2004.

“I grew up in a remote village in KwaZulu-Natal where a lone police officer ensured the maintaining of law and order,” he said.

“As I was nearing the end of my school career, recruiters visited the school, using him as a shining example of public service.”

In 2012, the new head of the Benoni Police Station was appointed as Vispol commander in Tsakane, a promotion which propelled his career as station commander.

From 2012 to now, he stood at the helm of Putfontein, Soshanguve, Boksburg North and Tsakane police stations.

“I am fortunate to be acquainted with the East Rand and the unique challenges in the territory,” said Mbatha.

“Benoni SAPS has a strong and reliable partnership with the local private security sector and a formidable CPF.

“One cannot police in isolation and needs community mobilisation in intelligence gathering and ensuring the police deploy resources where needed most.”

The station commander said he understood the community’s frustration regarding ongoing illegal mining operations threatening residents’ safety and essential infrastructure.

“To tackle this problem, I will have to look at the measures we have taken to address the problem,” he said.

“We must evaluate every aspect’s success and see what options we have left.”

He further stated he hoped to better capitalise on the police station’s resources and beef up patrols and crime prevention operations.

“For us to be successful, we rely on community input. We cannot deploy patrol vehicles if we do not know which areas are the hardest hit by crime,” said Mbatha.

“Any criminality must be reported, as these statistics empower us to put our resources to better use, to benefit the community.”

He invited the community, community-based organisations, churches, businesses, and other stakeholders to engage with the station’s management.

“Tell us if dissatisfied with our service. Upon suspicion of police officers acting outside the SAPS mission, vision and ethos, expose the wrongdoing,” he said.

“Working together will give us the upper hand in the fight against crime.”

Contact Mbatha on 010 497 9549.

Those that have come and gone …
Recently-retired Brigadier Sudesh Sookraj was appointed to the position in October 2023 following in the footsteps of Major General Thabo Mphuti.

Mphuti accepted a promotion and redeployed to Upington in the Northern Cape in July of that year.

She served as station commander for three years.

Mphuti succeeded Brigadier Ntakuseni Lukhwareni as station commander in 2019.

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