When Lt Col Wynand Muller humbly mentioned as a sidenote that his work at Manenberg Police Station was award-winning, he wanted to make residents aware of what he brings to the table.
And, for a third consecutive year, he has been awarded Top Vispol Employee in the City of Cape Town District.
Awarded at the Western Cape Provincial Police Service Excellence Awards on Friday 15 September, the award recognises his work in bringing criminals to book in the Manenberg Policing Precinct. He had been stationed here in an operational capacity for over 20 years and credits his successes to building a good informant base and community engagement (“New police chief to head up Lansdowne”, People’s Post, 12 September).
Vanessa Adriaanse, Manenberg Community Policing Forum (CPF) deputy chair, says: “Col Muller has been working for more than 20 years at Manenberg precinct. Working for so long in a community, you are no longer just coming to work, it’s more coming to your extended family and having to make sure they are safe. He is a guy with much integrity, always delivering the best service inside and outside the station. A very well-respected person. The community loves him. He always had an open door policy to everyone, especially the community and always showed interest in partnership.”
Adriaanse says that while there were some challenges, his transparency and personality made working together easy, with matters ironed out easily.
“We got to know the man without the uniform, which is even more kind and respectful,” she says.
Vernon Visage, Manenberg CPF chair, echos her sentiments.
“Col Muller has dedicated 22 years of his life to the Manenberg precinct, where his hard work and skill that he has acquired over these years, along with his passion, have borne testimony to what he has achieved over these years,” he says.
“Not only a hard worker, but his passion for the community and to work alongside the community has paid dividends. He is a real asset to the Manenberg precinct and will be surely missed.”
Visage further wished Muller well in his future endeavours.
Now at the helm of Lansdowne Police Station since August, he is acting in the capacity of station commander, provisionally until the end of January next year.
Lansdowne CPF chair Rafique Foflonker says having Muller at the station has already seen positive engagement with residents.
“Col Muller’s achievements are well known. We are pleased that he has been assigned to Lansdowne as an acting station commander. The station commander previously deployed to Lansdowne is undergoing a temporary management reassignment by the provincial office. He has served the community well and we miss his presence. However, the need for a dedicated station commander is vital at any station and the Lansdowne Policing Precinct has certainly felt the absences and gaps over the last 10 years wherein we have had approximately eight acting and or appointed station commanders during that time,” says Foflonker.
“Thankfully, our CPF and most neighbourhood watch structures and private security firms have been relatively stable and consistent in the partnership with local police.”
Relatively laid-back compared to his last appointment, his expertise will serve the precinct well, says Foflonker.
“Col Muller certainly has strong, hands-on experience dealing with gangsterism and serious crime. His experience and tenure at Manenberg are most definitely commendable. While at Lansdowne, we are hopeful that his skill set will be employed to motivate his police officers and also to build even stronger partnerships with community safety structures, NHWs and the private security sector in order to bring peace, safety and security to the community serviced by the Lansdowne Police Precinct.”
Working with the established network of safety volunteers and professionals in the Lansdowne Police precinct, along with the partnership policing approach is one aspect Muller has acknowledged as a focus area in his new position.
“It is a great pleasure to have been acknowledged by the District Commissioner,” says Muller. “I am very excited to apply what I know at Lansdowne. Although I received it for being at Manenberg, policing remains the same. Prevent crime and ensure safety and security.”
