With his vast work experience, the recently appointed head of Boksburg SAPS Visible Policing Unit (Vispol), Lt-Col Richard Maebela, vowed to decisively deal with the identified crime hot spots and maintain the status quo in areas that have the lowest rates of crime within his precinct.
Born and bred in Matibidi, Mpumalanga, Maebela joined the service in 1995 in Dunnottar (Nigel), where he started as a constable after completing his police training. He worked his way up to the top ranks of warrant officer, captain and lieutenant-colonel.
Before his transfer to Boksburg a few months ago, Maebela also previously worked at several police stations, including Brakpan, Benoni, Crystal Park and Actonville.
The top cop’s priorities include restoring trust and a relationship between authorities and the public, strengthening the partnership with other law-enforcement agencies to help intensify the fight against crime in Boksburg, thus making the area a better place to live and do business in.
“I have already identified a few problematic areas where we need to do more, intensify our crime-fighting strategies, as well as mobilising more law-abiding community members to take a stance against crime,” said Maebela.
The commander pointed out that their crime-fighting efforts require concerted efforts by all relevant stakeholders, including other government departments, like those that are responsible for human settlement and social welfare.
“We encounter challenges policing certain areas, such as informal settlements, because of a lack of lighting and roads to easily access certain parts of these areas. Regardless of that, we still go all out to enforce the law and maintain order in all those areas.
He also added that there are plans in place to deal with the types of crimes that tend to increase markedly over the festive season.
Maebela encouraged members of the public to report any suspicious or unlawful behaviour in their respective communities.
You can directly call Maebela on 082 461 3826.
Residents can also report crime anonymously by calling 08600 10111.
Also Read: Crime snippets in Boksburg
