Limpopo police commissioner honours officers at excellence awards

POLOKWANE – The South African Police Service in Limpopo led by the Provincial Commissioner Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe honoured officers during the SAPS Excellence awards ceremony held  at Castle De Wildt Conference Facility in Modimolle, Waterberg District on Friday night 18 November 2022.

The event was honoured by the presence of the MEC for Transport and Community Safety Ms F Radzilani, representative of Waterberg District Municipality, representative of Modimolle and Mookgopong Local Municipality, Cllr Seboloyi, Deputy National Commissioner: Policing Lieutenant General TC Mosiliki, Divisional Commissioner HRM Lieutenant General Ntshie, Provincial Commissioner of Northern Cape, Senior police officers representing Provincial Commissioners of North West, Western Cape, Eastern Cape and Gauteng, retired Provincial Commissioners of Limpopo Lieutenant General Singani and Lieutenant General Ledwaba, All the Deputy Provincial Commissioners, District Commissioners, senior police officers from National Head Office, Provincial Head office and Station Commanders, SAPU and POPCRU representatives, His Grace, the Right Reverend Bishop Doctor Engenas J Lekganyane, the Provincial CPF Chairperson, Mr Kgasago and other various stakeholders.

The Provincial Awards ceremony is held annually to celebrate and recognise the remarkable work done and commitment displayed by police members from the lowest levels up to senior management, including general workers and people with disabilities employed by the South African Police Service.

The prestigious event further saw members of the CPF together with SAPS support service and administrative staff honoured and recognised for going extra mile in the fight against crime and for ensuring communities in their respective policing precincts receive the best service.

In her opening remarks, The Provincial Commissioner of Limpopo Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe alluded to the members of their hard work and encouraged them that they must take the achievement of others to be an inspiration for all of them. She further highlighted significance points like the importance of team work, resilience, confidence for the attendees to take home ” let’s cut the words such as I can’t , I won’t because when you say this words you already cancelling and robbing yourself a precedence of what you can and cannot do. It is you and only you who is in control of your minutes, be in charge of what is happening in your life and remember to keep chasing your dreams.

Closing her remarks the Provincial Commissioner shared with the hall a narrative that says “billionaires uses billions to become rich, but poor people want to lose nothing to become something” the Provincial Commissioner narrated to the attendees that the moral of the story is that “you need to put something to get something in return”.

The Deputy National Commissioner: Policing Lieutenant General Mosiliki also passed down her message of support encouraging those who didn’t make it tonight to go back dust off and do it better than before, before the keynote address by the MEC of Transport and Community Safety.

 ” These awards, do not mean that as a society we have completely won the battle against crime, but they signify our determination to wage a relentless war against criminality” these were the words of the MEC for Transport and Community Safety delivering the keynote address and passing her message of support to all nominees and winners.

The members were rewarded for their outstanding services in several categories as follows:

1. ADMINISTRATION

ADMINISTRATION EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR:  LEVEL 1-4: DRIVER:  MM Madihlaba- Provincial HRM & Development

ADMINISTRATION EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR LEVEL 5-7:  CAC Ramalepe – Provincial OD & Strategic Management

ADMINISTRATION EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR: LEVEL 8 – 12 

Colonel MR Chueu – Provincial HRM & Development.

ADMINISTRATIVE TEAM OF THE YEAR: SCM BUILDING TEAM – 10 MEMBERS: Provincial SCM.

2. VISPOL AND OPERATIONS EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR

VISPOL AND OPERATIONS EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR LEVEL 5-7 Constable ML Sefole: Phalaborwa

VISPOL AND OPERATIONS EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR LEVEL 8 – 12 Colonel RP Rakhadani: Vhembe District

VISPOL AND OPERATIONS TEAM OF THE YEAR: BOTLOKWA CRIME PREVENTION: 2 MEMBERS – Sergeant TE Pandelani and Sergeant R Rambulu

3. HIGH RISK

HIGH RISK MEMBER OF THE YEAR: LEVEL: 5-7: W/O LL Mabitlela: Polokwane Water wing

HIGH RISK MEMBER OF THE YEAR: LEVEL 8-12 CAPT S Mukoma

HIGH RISK TEAM OF THE YEAR*SEARCH AND RESCUE*POLOKWANE WATERWING

W/O  LL Mabetlela, Sgt PR Ramugondo, Sgt MR Tshilande, Sgt NR Tshivhandekano,Sgt TJ Sinthumule, Sgt LE Phaswana, Sgt TV Maupye

MEDIUM RISK MEMBER OF THE YEAR*LEVEL: 5-7 Sergeant H van Zyl: Bela-Bela Hostage Negotiators

MEDIUM RISK MEMBER OF THE YEAR: LEVEL 8-12*HOSTAGE NEGOTIATOR Colonel TC Mkhabela: Provincial Comm ORS

MEDIUM RISK TEAM OF THE YEAR

Lt Col RP Tshiangwana, Lt Col D Mamadisa, Lt Col MJ Seabi, Lt Col TL Madzhigili, Cpt T Mologwa, Cpt R Els, W/O CA Nel, Sergeant H van Zyl, Sergeant K Mbuwe.

4. DETECTIVE AND FORENSIC EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR

DETECTIVE AND FORENSIC EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR*LEVEL 5-7 Sergeant TJ Chokoe: Westenburg

DETECTIVE AND FORENSIC EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR: LEVEL 8 -12 Lt Col Malungane: Provincial Anti- Corruption

DETECTIVE AND FORENSIC TEAM OF THE YEAR*VHEMBE TRIO CRIME TASK TEAM Lt Col MM Muenda (12 members)

5. FSC INVESTIGATOR OF THE YEAR: LEVEL 5-7

FSC INVESTIGATOR OF THE YEAR: LEVEL 5-7 W/O CR Selolo: Polokwane FCS

FCS INVESTIGATOR OF THE YEAR*LEVEL 8-12 Lt Col J Meyer: Tzaneen FCS

FCS INVESTIGATING TEAM OF THE YEAR: TZANEEN FCS TEAM: Lt Col Meyer (7 Members)

6. SPECIAL CATEGORIES

WOMEN OF THE YEAR: Sergeant MJ Ramaphoko: Senwabarwana

MAN OF THE YEAR: Sergeant MH Mamabolo: Provincial Communication

PERSON WITH DISABILITY OF THE YEAR Genl worker ML Seloane: Lebowakgomo SAPS

SPORTS MAN OF THE YEAR PAC SK Lesetja: Lebowakgomo SAPS

SPORTS WOMAN OF THE YEAR

W/O R Rikhotso PSS LIMPOPO

SPORTS PERSON WITH DISABILITY OF THE YEAR AC LM Mathye: Namakgale

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION MANAGER OF THE YEAR: LEVEL 13-15: Brigadier ML Matseba: Provincial SCM

SENIOR OPERATIONAL MANAGER OF THE YEAR: LEVEL 13-15 Brigadier NS Tinyani

STATION OF THE YEAR: BOTLOKWA SAPS

CPF OF THE YEAR: BELA-BELA

RESERVIST OF THE YEAR R/ Constable MS Maepa: Burgesfort

7 PROVINCIAL COMMISSIONER’S AWARDS

CRIME INTELLIGENCE TEAM OF THE YEAR: Lt Col Nemaitoni (8 members): Vhembe District

LCRC EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR*LEVEL 5-7 W/O MD Mhangwana: Tzaneen LCRC

LCRC EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR: LEVEL 8-12: Lt Col C Tambani : Thohoyandou LCRC

LCRC TEAM OF THE YEAR: Colonel KC Mphanga: (8 members)

PROVINCIAL COMMISSIONERS SPECIAL AWARDS

▪ Constable Mnisi: Roedtan & Sergeant NW Mogoru: Lebowakgomo Stock Theft Unit

REACTION TEAM: Sergeant TK Daties: Polokwane TRT: (7 members) 

MOPANI HIGHWAY PATROL Sergeant Makhadi N (9 members)

BEST HOSPITALITY TEAM OF THE YEAR:

Foreman SE Khorombi: Vhembe District, Cleaner MS Mabila, Thohoyandou, Cleaner SS Makungu, Thohoyandou, Cleaner PE Nemakonde, Thohoyandou, Cleaner TS Tshitake, Thohoyandou, Volunteer Mbengwa Mulalo, Thohoyandou

JUNIOR MANAGEMENT CORE SAC TI Phuti: Chairperson Junior Management Core

MEN FOR CHANGE Lt Col RS Sekgota: Chairperson: Men for Change

WOMEN’S NETWORK Brigadier MV Mashila: Chairperson: Women’s Network

▪W/O Engelbrecht: Zebediela, Lt Col HG Thomas, Provincial HRM& Development, Colonel BF Mabuza, Executive staff officer

TRACKING TEAM OF THE YEAR: PROVINCIAL MURDER & ROBBERY AND TRACKING TEAM: Lt Col Boshomane:  (23 members)

CORPORATE COMMUNICATION TEAM OF THE YEAR: PROVINCIAL INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL MEDIA Brigadier MF Mojapelo (19 members)

Source: South African Police Service