Due Diligence

City of Joburg suspends regional metro police commander

On Tuesday, 13 February, the City of Johannesburg’s Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD) suspended the Region F2 Commander Deputy Director, Faith Lengwati, for what the city terms “alleged insubordination and conducts to put the City in disrepute.”

In a statement, the city said allegations against the Lengwati “come after community members complained that the JMPD Kenilworth Satellite Station was not operating as intended in that operating hours were reduced and not properly staffed.”

The city’s top public safety official, Michael Sun, seemed to endorse the suspension, saying “when we embarked on the Kenilworth Satellite Station project, we wanted JMPD to serve the residents in the area on a 24/7 basis so crime will be reduced, By-laws enforced and the drug dealing be a thing of the past, however we now receive a number of complaints regarding the poor service at the satellite station. We will ensure that officials are held to account and deliver the services as we have promised to the people.”

Sun confirmed that an “investigation is underway as disciplinary hearing process continues” and that JMPD Deputy Director, Mike Smith has since taken up command of Region F2.