Station boss is back
We need the community to be our eyes and ears to help us give them the best service we possibly can.
Carolina Police welcomed the returning Lt Col Msizani MarryJane Mazibuko as the new station commander last week.
Born and raised in Belfast, Lt Col Mazibuko has attributed her love, passion and 32 years’ service in the force to her uncle. Seeing him go through the ranks and having an opportunity to observe him go about his duties, piqued her interest in police word.
“Growing up, I would go with my uncle to the station whenever he was on standby and observed how he interacted with others. It was his hard work, ethics and peoples skills that got me interested in the field and the will to help others,” she said.
Lt Col Mazibuko says having gone through the ranks has made it easier for her to understand the different challenges that officers under her care face.
As station commander, her duties include overseeing Visible Policing (vispol), detective and administrative duties.
The well-travelled officer left Carolina as a support head and went to Dullstroom as station commander, moved to Schoemansdal and later to Belfast as a cluster commander, then back again to Carolina.
“In the first five days since my arrival, I have already met with the Community Police Forum (CPF) where they told me what assistance they need from the police and I’ve also communicated what the police expect from them.Working together with the community will help us achieve our goals as a station and as a community,” Lt Col Mazibuko said.
She holds a Management Certificate from the University of Pretoria and plans to continue with her studies.
The mother of three and grandmother of one attributes her success to the support she receives from her family at home and says it keeps her going.
She also sends a message to the community of Carolina and Silobela that the town has grown and crime is escalating.
She appeals to the community to continue supporting the police.
“We need the community to be our eyes and ears to help us give them the best service we possibly can. My door is always open to anyone and we’re currently preparing an Imbizo where we will meet with the community to discuss pressing issues. As much as we can’t satisfy everyone at once, we will continue striving to offer better service,” said Lt Col Mazibuko.
She has also commended the involvement of business people who are also part of the CPF and says the business community plays a key role in the community.
