Police station at Giyani renamed again

The Makhubele police station is now again the Giyani police station.

Police station at Giyani renamed again

Date: 12 June 2009 By: Victor Hlungwani

To name buildings, towns and even police stations after political leaders may prove to be very problematic, as the residents of Giyani have realised. With time comes changes and yesterday’s political heroes may not be the heroes of tomorrow, especially if they opted to join the “wrong” party.

In February 2006 the former National Commissioner of Police, Jackie Selebi, announced that the Giyani police station will be renamed to honour the retired former National Division Commissioner, Wilson Mafemani Makhubele. This was in honour of a man who diligently served the police force for more than 35 years.

All was fine until March this year when Makhubele, a former adviser to the former minister of Safety and Security, Charles Nqakula, resigned from the ANC to join the Congress of the People. This move did not go down well with the local ANC branches that immediately saw red and demanded that the station’s name be changed back to Giyani Police station.

The ANC Youth League’s provincial sectary, Goodman Mtileni joined the fight and accused the suspended National Police Commissioner, Jackie Selebi, of undermined the residents of Giyani by renaming the police station after “an unreliable man who had done nothing but bring shame during the apartheid regime.”

The mayor of the Greater Giyani Municipality, Doris Mathebula, added her bit to the debate by saying Makhubele betrayed the people of Giyani by joining a party he did not belong to, especially after being honoured in such a way. Prior to the elections, during a local ANC gala dinner, the mayor told ANC supporters that she had already instructed the provincial police commissioner, Calvin Sengani, not to provide the station with new police vehicles, because the station’s name will change soon after the election.

Last week the mayor confirmed that the Minister of Safety and Security, Nathi Muthetwa, has once again renamed the station to Giyani Police Station. “The police station was renamed after consultation with the provincial MEC for Safety and Security,” said Mathebula.

Mr Wilson Makhubele is reported to have told the Sowetan newspaper that it is his democratic right to join a political party of his choice. “I don’t regret having joined COPE and whatever happens will not change me,” said Makhubele.

Makhubele was nominated as a COPE national Member of Parliament.

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