May 04, 2007, 14:30
Robert McBride, the controversial Ekurhuleni metro police chief, received a BTech degree in Policing from the Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) today. McBride said he had to work hard to obtain his degree.
"I'm really committed to everything I do, so I gave it a good shot," he said. McBride was the best performer in his class of 30 students. He made headlines recently when questions were raised about an accident in which he rolled his car on the R51 near Centurion. Eyewitnesses claimed he was "blind drunk" on the accident scene, and said they had been assaulted and threatened by metro police officers. McBride has denied the allegations.
The National Prosecuting Authority is still to decide whether or not to prosecute him. Accompanied by his wife Nina today, McBride said he decided to study to gain more theoretical knowledge about policing. "I will probably register next semester to do a Master's [degree], one has to keep abreast of developments and knowledge."I will continue studying, it is a lifelong process" he said.
In 2003, when he was appointed as Ekurhuleni's police chief, opposition political parties contended McBride did not having the necessary qualifications for the job. At the time, McBride argued his background in the struggle against apartheid gave him the skills to tackle the problem of crime. Today, he said he felt he needed to study for the degree to gain theoretical background for his job. McBride was one of almost a thousand students who lined up to receive their degrees at the ceremony held at TUT's Shoshanguve campus, North of Pretoria. He was joined by Simon Mpembe, the Johannesburg station commissioner, who also received his BTech degree in Policing. - Sapa
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