A Germiston SAPS detective overcame previous near-misses to claim top honours at the Ekurhuleni SAPS Service Excellence Awards 2025/2026.

Sergeant Itani Mukhesi took home the Forensic Detective of the Year award at the ceremony at Bazme Adab Hall in Actonville.

The achievement marked a defining moment in his career after he had missed out on the title twice.

Mukhesi said the award encourages him to keep serving the community to the best of his ability and recognises his dedication.

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To be nominated, Mukhesi submitted a work portfolio featuring high-profile murder investigations. Among them was the case of Nkokhelo Sithole, who received three life sentences in the Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg on June 20, 2025, before Judge AJ Bokako under case number SS092/2024.

Sithole was convicted on three counts of murder, robbery with aggravating circumstances, and the possession of unlicensed firearms and ammunition.

The court imposed 15 years’ imprisonment for robbery with aggravating circumstances, five years for each firearm count, and three years for each ammunition count. All sentences run concurrently, resulting in an effective sentence of life imprisonment. Under Section 103(1) of the Firearms Control Act 60 of 2000, the court declared the accused unfit to possess a firearm.

Speaking about the award, Mukhesi said he was pleased to have been nominated alongside officers of such calibre.

“It is gratifying to know that I was nominated alongside such dedicated officers. There were three of us in the category,” he said.

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Mukhesi attributed his success to a passion for justice and a love for running, which keeps him focused.

An avid runner, he completed his ninth Comrades Marathon this year in eight hours and 52 minutes, earning a Bill Rowan medal, and is preparing for his 10th entry next year.

He also completed the Totalsports Two Oceans Marathon ultra-marathon in five hours and two minutes.

“Running has been instrumental in my life. It is beneficial for health reasons, but it also helps me focus on my work and everything I do outside of that,” Mukhesi said.

Mukhesi has 20 years of service in the police. After training at the SAPS Police Academy in Pretoria, he was deployed directly to Germiston SAPS as a field training officer before joining the detective unit.

His victory automatically nominates him for the upcoming provincial excellence awards.