Cops need the cooperation, the buy-in, and efforts of the community.
There are all kinds of preconceived notions harboured before meeting someone. Major-General Feroz Khan, one of South Africa’s top crime-busting cops, shatters every single one of them.
He’s a humble, soft-spoken man whose drive to serve is evident in almost everything he does.
“When I was working as a personal protector for former president Nelson Mandela, he once told me that a jet cannot turn back in a storm. It must press on. It’s one of the phrases that has really influenced my life.”
He has spent 36 years in the blue: from being a young constable in Soweto, to looking after presidents and, now, heading intelligence and counter-intelligence for Crime Intelligence – and with that, the Anti-Kidnap Unit.
Gratitude is the paycheck for helping people
It’s been a controversial ride, but Khan is not fazed by the politics of it all.
“I care about one thing and it’s the same thing that I have always cared about: serving people. It’s a calling, being a police officer. It’s so much more than just a job or a position,” he said.
It was this desire to serve that initially seeded the idea of a career in medicine.
“I always had aspirations to help other people; it was medical at first,” he said. “But here I am, three decades later, and I want to make a difference every day, still. It is about serving and the passion, and the satisfaction you get from being able to help people and make a difference.
“That is the pay cheque at the end of the month; the gratitude that comes from that.”
ALSO READ: Helen Zille to run for Joburg mayor as DA vows to ‘wrestle city back’
Policing as a collaborative effort
He has seen policing from almost every angle and knows it will never win him popularity contests.
“If you are pleasing everybody and everybody is happy with you, you are not doing something right.
“But if we operate within the framework of the law, following the constitution and making South Africa a better place for everybody to live in, there should not be any problems,” he said.
For Khan, crime is not just the responsibility of the police. “We cannot expect the police to solve everything. We are 180 000 officers servicing a population of over 60 million.
“We need the cooperation, the buy-in, and efforts of the community, which can support our law enforcement efforts – and private security as well. If everybody takes an initiative to be the eyes and ears of the police, we can overcome crime.”
The growing partnership between the SA Police Service and private security is one of the most important developments in law enforcement, he said.
“Private security is more than 500 000 members. Combined, we have a force that is north of 700 000 people. So, we need that support. We need the backup.
“We need the resources that they provide to help us. The collaboration and support help us to reduce crime.”
ALSO READ: ‘Leigh’s killer must answer’: Matthews’ father demands truth
Law enforcement turnaround
Khan is certain that law enforcement is turning a corner. “We will see a turnaround. Government is definitely committed to its law enforcement drive.
“We see interventions all the time from the president; from the minister; from leaders of civil society. There is a concerted effort to bring about a change in the crime figures.”
Despite the pressures that come with leading national intelligence and counter-intelligence, he sleeps easily.
“I have studied philosophy and it has impacted the way I reason,” he said.
The toll on family life has been real, he admitted, though they remain unquestionably in his corner.
“My family appreciates and respects what I do. They support me and I am grateful,” he said.
READ NEXT: Kidnapping crisis deepens as copycat syndicates target all walks of life
