SOUTH AFRICAN POLICE: SERGEANT PERUMAL SUBBEN
Interviewed the only daughter of Sergeant Perumal Subben on Friday 11th October 2024 (Mrs Lalitha Munien).
(Researched, authored, set out and forwarded for publication by Logan Govender [LG] with the information obtained from Sergeant Perumal Subben’s only daughter, Mrs Lalitha Munien, other individuals and former police members.
Photograph 01
Perumal Subben, circa 1960’s whilst stationed at SA Police, Overport. (The uniform must have been drab / khaki in the day. Note the numeral plate on the lapels, used with the open neck tunic; the open neck tunic was used during 1960’s, I presume mid 1960’s as the open neck tunic was only introduced for Non-White members during 1963. – [LG])
Note by Editor: Ms Jennifer Bosch improved the colourisation of the photo. We thank her – HBH.
PLEASE SUPPORT OUR ADVERTISERS
02 [LG]
Perumal Subben was born in Magazine Barracks on 1926-09-09. (The Magazine Barracks was an area in Durban, South Africa, that housed Indian labourers, who worked for the Durban Corporation (the municipality of Durban, now absorbed into the eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality), and their families. Built in 1880, close to the centre of Durban, it had a population of up to 6,000 people at times, living in 1251 rooms,and living conditions were regarded as "wretched" due to an unwillingness of the authorities to upgrade the area.
As part of the implementation of apartheid policies, including the Group Areas Act, Indians were removed from the Magazine Barracks, and resettled in areas including Chatsworth, which were much further from the city centre of Durban.
Located next to the Magazine Barracks, was a similar black African labour compound called Baumannville
The site of the Magazine Barracks is now the location of the Durban Magistrates Court and police headquarters.– Google)
Photograph 03
Perumal Subben and an unidentified friend circa 1940’s / 1950’s
He (Perumal Subben) was apparently enlisted in the SA Police at Somtseu Road during the 1950’s.
04
According to the Editor in Chief of Nongqai, his Dad, Sergeant Abraham Faure Heymans, late was stationed at SA Police, Somtseu Road during the 1960’s
He (Perumal Subben) married his dear wife Anjalai Kandasamy in the 1950’s. The couple later had 6 children, made up of 5 males and 1 female, Lalitha.
The family relocated from Magazine Barracks to Overport. Lalitha was only 2 years old at that time and didn’t understand the reason why. (My guess is that Perumal was posted to SA Police, Overport during the 1960’s. The family probably relocated to Overport closer to his workplace, hence his appearance in this historic photograph, “SA Police, Overport, December 1961”. Hopefully, someone will verify the information. - [LG])
(Source Captain Krish Reddy)
Members Identified
Second row, seated, from left to right, 4th, Senior Sergeant S Pillai; late (Lieutenant-Colonel Subramonia Pillai. – [LG]) 6th Govindaraj (Mike) Nagamuthoo, (still enjoying his retirement at the age of 89 years [Born 29 August 1935 at Magazine Barracks in Durban].- [LG])
Rear row, standing, from left to right, 2nd Constable Perumal Subben. He is also the Dad of Colonel (Selva) Mogambury Perumal, late, former Station Commander of SA Police, Unit 5, Chatsworth; 4th Indian Constable Jalaser, (Warrant Officer, later based at Sydenham. He was a part time
Wrestling Instructor at the SA Police, Training College, Wentworth, Durban – [LG]; 6th Constable Moonsamy (Dad of Captain Krish Reddy – [LG]); 8th Constable G Palithan, late (later transferred to SA Police, Unit 2, Chatsworth)
CAPTAIN DME LAZARUS’s CONTRIBUTION TO THE PHOTOGRAPH
“The following members were stationed at the SAP Chatsworth (Old Unit 2 Police station):
Standing left to right, 1st Late Constable Chinsamy 2nd Sergeant Perumal (P Subban) father of the Late Col M Perumal, both stationed during that time and at the New SAP Chatsworth at Chatsworth Circle. 1st on the right, Sgt G Paliathan (Polly)
Seated Left to right, 2nd on the left is the Late Sgt Arumugam (Arumugam Naidoo) uncle of Lt Col S Govender (Sivie / Siva) ex-SAP Chatsworth, 4th Late Lt Col S Pillai the first Indian Station Commander of SAP Chatsworth and the first Indian Commander of SAP Wentworth Training College.
Seated on the ground, left to right, 1st The Late Constable B Naidoo (Bala).
The Late Sgt D Jalaser and Retired Nagamuthu are also known to me. The other members I cannot recall.”
"Dad met Colonel Pillai while they worked at the Overport police station. They became good friends and visited each other often.As a result, our families became close and we spent much time in each other's homes" - said Lalitha
Subben was nominated to attend a specialised course in the driving, handling, maintenance, and care of State motor vehicles at the SA Police, Mechanical School in Benoni, Johannesburg, during June till August 1964. (tuition – theoretical and practical instruction in the driving, care, handling and maintenance of police vehicles). In those years the duration of the course was 3 months considering it was an advanced and Intensive course to promote safety of humans and protection of State owned property. – [LG])
South
Mechanical School
Benoni
Johannesburg
Members Identified
Rear row, standing, from left to right, 2nd AB Pillay, late (Lieutenant-Colonel); 3rd Dewnund Maharaj, late (Warrant Officer); 4th Perumal, late
She learnt that he was later transferred to SA Police, Sydenham and thereafter during 1965 to SA Police, Unit 2, Chatsworth after it was officially opened.
Photograph 12
SA Police
Unit 02
Chatsworth
(Source, family of Lieutenant-Colonel S Pillai This photograph was kindly colourised by Ms Jennifer Bosch –[LG])
Subben was later allocated to perform duties at the Court House situated in Silverglen, Chatsworth. The old station at Unit 2 closed during 1979 and the station was relocated to the new premises situated at Justice Street in Unit 5. It was at this station that he officially retired.
13
A group photograph taken at Subben’s sons, (Colonel [Selva] Mogambury Perumal’s) wedding ceremony during 1979.
From left to right, Sergeant Perumal Subben; his dear wife Anjalai Subben; [Selva] Mogambury Perumal; his dear wife Maggie; Vimla, dear wife of Lieutenant-Colonel S Pillai; Lieutenant-Colonel Subramonia Pillai
His son (Selva) Mogambury Perumal joined the South African Police at Unit 2 in Chatsworth on 1974-05-09. After basic police training, he was posted back to Unit 2 until the station was relocated to Unit 5.
14
South African Police
Training College
Wentworth
Durban
Platoon 22 / 1975
January – July
Members Identified
Second row, 3rd Lakram, Sergeant, (SA Police, Mountain Rise;9th Y Moodley, Warrant Officer, (SA Police, Mountain Rise); B Kripal, Major General
Third row, left to right, 4th Nundhlall, (Brigadier Todd Soomaroo); 5th R Naidoo, Major General.
Fourth row, left to right, 2nd M Perumal, (Colonel)
He was nominated to attend a Candidate Officer’s Training Course at the SA Police, Mechanical School during 1984.
After he successfully completed the course, he was commissioned to the rank of Lieutenant and posted to SA Police, Cato Manor.
“I worked with Sergeant P Subben as his protégé in the registration of births and death when I was an assistant station clerk to Colonel Rungasamy Munsamy ” – [DG]
Group photograph taken during 2001 at the Exhibition Centre, Durban. Graduation of Shobashini (as a Medical Technologist), daughter of Colonel Perumal and granddaughter of Sergeant Perumal Subben.
From left to right, Colonel Perumal; his dear wife, Maggie; his daughter, Shobashini; Anjalai and dear wife of Sergeant Subben
the son of his daughter Lalitha joined the Durban Metro Police Department during 2009. Trained at the Metro Police Training College in Pinetown. He holds the rank of Senior Constable and is part of the Queensburgh Operations team, serving Durban’s Inner West region
20
Photograph of the Subben family.
“Agnoscere et honorare servientibus” – “to acknowledge and honour those who served” “Soli Deo Gloria” - “To God Alone Glory”
“The Nation which forgets its defenders will itself be forgotten” – Calvin Coolidge
