Respected Elsburg officer retires after decades of service

The Elsburg Police Station recently bid farewell to Lieutenant Colonel Vusimuzi Mhlophe, the Vispol commander, who retired on July 30.

SAPS members, security companies, the EMPD, Gauteng Traffic Police and friends attended the surprise farewell held at a Meadowdale restaurant. The station and its stakeholders had planned and rehearsed the send-off on July 22.

Mhlophe was widely praised as a people’s person, committed to serving the community and fighting crime.

Station commander Colonel Louis Maluleka highlighted his contributions to Elsburg’s recent successes and attributed the reduction in crime to his strong work ethic and leadership.

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“Even on his farewell day, he insisted on going on patrol,” said Maluleka, noting that Mhlophe’s tireless dedication included late-night efforts and early morning availability.

His strategies, such as increased patrols, hotspot flooding and suspicious vehicle checks, had a visible impact and helped position Elsburg as one of the best-performing stations in Ekurhuleni.

“The members were emotional about losing Mhlophe, who was considered a father figure. His efforts earned the station its top-tier status,” Maluleka added.

Mhlophe dedicated 36 years to the SAPS, earning multiple promotions and accolades.

Born and raised in Osizweni, Newcastle in KwaZulu-Natal, he attended Xolani High School, the same school as the late reggae legend Lucky Dube. His brother was in Dube’s class.

Before joining the police, Mhlophe aspired to be a professional footballer. He played in the National Soccer League, which later merged into the Premier Soccer League in 1996. He shared the field with legends like Fanie Madida.

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However, an accident that led to the loss of teammates during the playoffs ended the team’s hopes of promotion and shifted Mhlophe’s career path.

He joined the SAPS in 1989 at Dundee Police Station. Although he had already passed matric, unemployment led him to return to school and complete it again.

Mhlophe underwent further training at Pretoria Police College in 1993 and joined the Public Order Policing Unit, then called the Stability Unit, where he served until 2007.

Deployed across all nine provinces, he worked to manage public unrest and wore the unit’s distinct camouflage uniform.

In 2007, Mhlophe transitioned to Edenpark SAPS, where he was promoted to captain and Vispol commander.

“Edenpark was a challenging community with high rates of contact crimes,” he recalled.

Later promoted to lieutenant colonel, he transferred to Elsburg SAPS to continue serving in a leadership role.

Throughout his career, he received numerous awards, including the 2010 Soccer World Cup Support Medal and SAPS Excellence Awards for outstanding service.

Mhlophe described the Elsburg community as easy to work with and expressed hope for continued strong police-community partnerships.

“Each area requires a tailored approach, but with the right resources, we can do more. I encourage young officers to serve their communities with pride and dignity,” he said.

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Lazarus Matela, deputy chairperson of the Elsburg CPF, praised Mhlophe’s leadership and influence.

“He is an excellent communicator and mentor. We’ve learnt valuable lessons from him, especially the importance of gathering evidence to secure convictions,” said Matela.

He noted that Mhlophe personally led patrols and always involved the station commander to ensure visible leadership in the community, even in high-risk areas.

“His departure is a major loss. Younger officers benefited from his example and learned vital skills, including listening to complainants and responding with empathy,” said Matela.

Edenpark resident Anan Chetty, who has known Mhlophe for over 30 years, described him as a friend and exceptional officer.

“He was a sergeant when I met him, always mediating fairly with the community. His passion was evident, he often worked late and even used his own money to keep vehicles operational,” said Chetty.

Chetty added that Mhlophe’s dedication inspired others, including his own family members, to join the SAPS.

“The large farewell turnout shows the strong bond he had with the community. His absence will be deeply felt.”