Roodepoort Police welcome new station commander
New station commander returns to where her policing journey began
A personal connection supported by a principled pledge forges a devoted dedication.
Returning to where her 26 years of service to the uniform and her country all began, Roodepoort Police Station is proud to welcome new station commander, Brigadier Irene Sekwakwa. The Roodepoort resident has been entrusted with the station’s leadership, knowing her knowledge of the area and the station’s inner workings perfectly position her to tackle the precinct’s darkest corners while illuminating its brightest possibilities.
After finishing her training at the Police Academy in Pretoria, the now brigadier was stationed at Roodepoort in 1995. There she would rapidly move through the ranks, being promoted to captain in 2002. Brigadier Sekwakwa’s leadership skills would be evident early, as she was assigned as a field training officer and can boast having trained a total of 86 young officers before her next step up the ladder.
Sekwakwa would receive her lieutenant colonel insignia in 2004 when she moved to Honeydew Police Station. Here, she would spend the next 15 years and in that time would take on roles of Client Service Centre Commander (CSC), Acting Visible Policing Commander, Johannesburg West Cluster Visible Policing Coordinator, Operational Commander as well as a brief stint as acting station commander at Muldersdrift in 2009.
Holding a Diploma in Policing and a Bachelor of Technology in Policing, Brigadier Sekwakwa has several commendations from her time at the Roodepoort and Honeydew stations. She was awarded the Certificate of Exemplary Attendance for no days of absence in 2003, the Goodwill Shield for recognition of excellent service in 2003, Certificate for Best Uniformed Officer in 2005 as well as the award for Best CSC Commander in 2009.
A promotion to colonel would come in 2017 followed by a transfer to Johannesburg Central in 2019 to take on one of the toughest jobs in the city. Appointed as head of the provincial anti-cash-in-transit and hijacking unit, Sekwakwa would command a vast collection of specialist units ranging from tactical response teams to public order policing.
Freshly promoted to brigadier, ironing out the kinks in the Roodepoort armoury is next on her list of goals. The first obstacle will be the fast-approaching festive season, and Brigadier Sekwakwa is focusing on improving cooperation with the community. “I am looking forward to working with the community and all stakeholders. I want them to know that I am approachable and will strive for excellence on a daily basis,” she said.
Caring for the community is paramount, but equipping her officers to be ready to assist is top of mind, adding, “The wellness of our members here is very important to me and I will ensure the smooth running of the station”.
Encouraging collaboration but committing to a long-term vision, Brigadier Sekwakwa concluded, “We might have the festive season now, but we will aim to be outstanding now and beyond. Together we can make it.”
