Nelson Mandela Bay has a new district commissioner and not only has he served in the South African Police Service for almost 30 years, but for those who have wondered whether there is something about him that they do not know, it might be the fact that he is also a trained martial artist with a black belt in judo.
Although he spent many years of his service working in the Western Cape, Major General Vuyisile Ncata was actually born and bred right here in KwaZakhele, in Nelson Mandela Bay.
Before finding his way back to his roots, where he started, in his new position at the beginning of this month, the 49-year-old husband and father of five was stationed at Nyanga Police Station in the Western Cape.
According to Ncata, he didn’t know from his childhood that he wanted to be in the police service but he definitely knew that one day he would like to be a leader.
“Nyanga is a very tough station to work at and no one wanted to go there. When I was sent there I thought to myself that there must be a reason why they sent me, specifically. Maybe they saw something in me that I didn’t see in myself,” Ncata explained.
He added that as a station commander, he headed one station with more than 300 employees. This time, in his new role, he will be managing 18 stations in the Nelson Mandela Bay District.
“I’m happy to be back home. I’m grateful to be back and I’m grateful to be in the police service, not just because I am a general but because I know how it has changed my life and that of my family. At my previous station, I worked literally every day, from Monday to Monday.
“I never took a day off. I work very hard and put my all into this job.
“I applied to three different districts and prayed that I would be able to come back here and it happened. I’m not here to make friends or make wrong friends but I want to contribute with my job. If I have to leave here one day, I want to leave a legacy behind.”
When asked what some of the life lessons are that he has learnt in his 27 years in the police force, he answered, “That one must be grateful. Hard work and confidence will make you a better person in the organisation.
“I have also learnt to be fair, an important trait if you are in a leadership position.”
Ncata hit the ground running since his first day and was already out in the field with his colleagues to do some groundwork.
“I believe that people should see the efforts of the police. We should all be able to work together. I don’t care if you live in the suburbs, townships or informal settlements.
“I don’t care whether you are white, brown or black; working together is essential and I want everyone to see the contribution that I’ll be trying to make,” Ncata said.
He added that at the top of his list in his new role will be to reduce the levels of murders and hijackings in the district.
“I found myself in a district that is not doing so well. Nelson Mandela Bay contributes the most to the province when it comes to crime.
“It’s like we’re in a war. Gangs are doing as they wish.
“I want to ensure integration with all stakeholders here and mobilise the community. The community policing forums need to be properly selected and supported and as the president said, gender-based violence is a second pandemic. I want our approach and response to be proactive.”
He explained that he would be visiting churches, along with members of his team every Sunday to get the churches involved.
“This is a big fight that we are in and we cannot fight it alone, we need God to fight this. Our churches must pray so that we can fight crime together effectively.”
