DARYN RAMIAH writes:
Col Lesetja Manewa, branch commander of Kempton Park SAPS detective branch, may have just been doing his job, but his actions are a beacon of hope for South Africans, and certainly restore some faith in our police.
On Friday, January 26, I received a call from my friend’s wife from Durban informing me that my friend was visiting Joburg and had gone missing.
I conducted my own investigation and, realising that it was fruitless, I decided to engage with the police, although I was sceptical to do so. The police are not generally known to be ‘kind and helpful’.
We got hold of Col Manewa, who went the extra mile, even though it was after hours. He assisted with the investigation by getting permission for me to view footage of the CCTV at Emperors Palace.
After two hours of viewing footage, he proceeded to follow up with OR Tambo SAPS and requested their assistance in the matter. He continued to follow up on the phone with me and the members of OR Tambo SAPS.
I am absolutely impressed with him and his dedication to his job and what he signed up to do. It may sound like a police officer was ‘just doing his job’, but stories like this restore faith in a service in South Africa that has had a terrible reputation in the past.
Negative press about police officers usually spreads like wildfire, but let me be the one to spread something positive about a police officer.
Thank you, Col Manewa, for your attitude toward a sensitive investigation, and I wish you all the best.
