Nelson Mandela Bay top cop makes it two in a row

Warrant Officer Severiano Blundin has done it again.

The Port Elizabeth police officer has, for the second time, won the police’s overall national award for his commitment and dedication to fighting crime across the province.

And this time round, Blundin, 33, walked away with not only the title but also a brand new car.

Blundin won the national Tracker Award and the National Man of the Year police awards in 2016/2017, making him a double award winner.

The 2018/2019 awards were held at  the Boardwalk Casino and Entertainment World in Port Elizabeth on Sunday night.

Blundin has been with the police force for 13 years and is attached to Nelson Mandela Bay’s Flying Squad unit.

National police spokesperson Brigadier Vish Naidoo said Blundin arrested 102 suspects between March 2018 and February 2019 and  recovered 39 firearms and nine replica firearms as well as 105 rounds of ammunition.

“He recovered 56 vehicles that were hijacked, stolen or used in a crime,” he said.

During the same period, Blundin recovered suspected stolen property valued at about R1.8m, a total of R210,000 in illicit money, and drugs with a street value of R620,000.

In an interview on Monday, Blundin said he was shocked he had walked away with the award for the second time.

“I am still shocked that I won again.

“It is such an honour to win such a prestigious award in the police. It is such a great inspiration.

“I hope that this will encourage others to do better than me.

“The overall goal is to take criminals off the street so that we can all live in peace and harmony.

“That is what keeps me going,” Blundin said.

‎The car, a Toyota C-HR, will be delivered to Blundin once the paperwork is complete.

“I must say I am still in shock at winning a car this time. My family is over the moon about it,” he said.

Blundin was a key player in tracking down guns that were stolen from a Port Elizabeth gunsmith late in 2018. 

East Cape Gun Traders was run from his house in Charlo by Anthony Lombard, 79, with 169 firearms stolen from the shop.

The missing guns were found after Blundin was involved in a shootout and car chase with gangsters in Bethelsdorp on January 18 2019.

During the shootout, one suspected gangster was killed when the car he was driving crashed.

A bag containing 18 firearms was found, sparking the probe.

Of the 18 guns, 11 were registered to the company while others were private firearms placed in the care of the shop.

The recovery led to police shutting down the shop and confiscating 359 guns belonging to the company as well as private owners who had booked their weapons in.

Since then, several of the stolen firearms have been recovered in the gang-ridden northern areas of the Bay and even the Western Cape.

Blundin also assisted by responding to the attack on the Ngcobo Police Station — between Mthatha and Komani — in February 2018 when two police members were executed.

Five police officers and a retired soldier were gunned down during the attack. 

Five members of the Mancoba Angels cult were arrested after a shootout with police days later.

Police Minister General Bheki Cele said the awards event was to celebrate excellence and to recognise and honour service excellence within the police force. 

National police commissioner General Khehla Sitole thanked Blundin for his contribution to the country and community.

“For this, we say thank you. We must, however, remain on a steadfast course on our journey to a safer South Africa,” he said.

The awards took place a day ahead of National Police Day that was celebrated in the Bay on Monday.