National police commissioner Riah Phiyega. (Gallo)
Rhiyega Phiyega said she was not in the police for a job and salary. "I am here for a higher purpose, which is building a better country," she said at a media briefing in Pretoria on Saturday.
"You don't need to be a career cop to understand that to have properly functioning police stations you need network points and not just computers."
Police stations were the nexus of service delivery, she said.
"If we do not get police stations right, we shall not get service delivery right.
"What I have observed over a year, reaffirms my views that [being part of the] police is a tough job," Phiyega said.
She said all police stations would have computers within two years.
" We have invested in buying computers, and yet a significant portion of those computers aren't loaded with our programmes, a significant number of people that need to use those computers don't have the required training, and the majority of our police stations don't have the necessary cabling."
Diverted funds
She said funds from other programmes had been diverted to ensure that all police stations were cabled so that computers could be used.
Retired detectives would be recruited back into the police.
"They [detectives] will also help with mentoring and coaching," Phiyega said.
Phiyega also said that managing the police is no different from managing other institutions.
"The same management principle is applicable to the police. You do not have to be a career cop to lead," she told reporters.
"We have people who are not career cops but excelled like [Gauteng commissioner] Lieutenant General Mzwandile Petros who is a maths teacher."
She described herself as a general manager based on her management experience.
"I'm what you can term a general manager you can give me any organisation, no matter how big or small. I have all the requisite leadership and management skills to run it."
Phiyega also announced the appointment of Lieutenant General Bethuel Zuma as Gauteng provincial commissioner.
More appointments
Zuma has 20 years experience as a police officers and worked his way up in the ranks of the police, she said.
Zuma would replace Petros, whose last day as provincial commissioner was Saturday. She said Petros had agreed to stay with the police for a year.
New provincial commissioners were also appointed for Limpopo and the Free State.
Lieutenant General Sehlahle Fanie Masemola was appointed as the Limpopo commissioner and Lieutenant General Simon Mpembe, the former Limpopo commissioner, was appointed to the Free State.
Phiyega also announced three new deputy national commissioners.
They were Lieutenant General Kehla John Sithole for policing operation, Lieutenant General Stefanus Johannes Paulus Schutte for resource management, finance administration procurement and technology management, and Lieutenant General Christabel Nobuble Mbekela for corporate service management. – Sapa