Ermelo Police Station number one in Mpumalanga

Mpumalanga Community Safety, Security and Liaison MEC Petrus Ngomane has congratulated the Ermelo Police Station on receiving top honours in the MEC’s Excellence Awards for the 2015/2016 financial year.

The awards are a culmination of a long process of monitoring and evaluation by a departmental team together with provincial police members and community police forums in at least 86 police stations in the province.

This annual event acknowledges the best performing police stations, while identifying and assisting those that are not doing well.

This year, Ermelo Police Station scooped three awards: overall performer in the province, best female station and the best performing police station headed by a colonel or brigadier.

In addition, the trophy for the best Community Policing Forum (CPF) also had Ermelo engraved on it.

The awards were presented at a function at the Elangeni Lodge near Tonga in Nkomazi Local Municipality last Thursday.

Ermelo Cluster Commander, Brig Lizzy Mtungwa, said the achievement could be attributed only to the good relationship that exists with the CPF, community members and other stakeholders.

She said the Ermelo Cluster became number one during the first semester of the current financial year and the level of commitment from station commanders had yielded success.

“We have also won the support of private security companies and they are assisting with patrols around businesses that have recently been targeted by business robbers. We also thank the Msukaligwa Local Municipality for ensuring an environment that is conducive for us to operate in. Through these partnerships we have managed to reduce crime in various categories,” she said.

During his keynote address, Mr Ngomane said it was important to acknowledge and encourage the good work done by police officers as they are always criticised by the community.

“We have heard people complaining about lazy and corrupt officers and the non-response or late response by officers to crime scenes, and we believe that with these awards, communities will know that there are many policemen and -women who are committed to their work.

“Rewarding excellence is a good practice, as those who are lagging behind would want to emulate the same excellence to the benefit our communities,” he said.

Sation Commander Col Winnie Mavuso said it was a great honour to be recognised and she was very proud of their achievement that was a result of hard work.

Meanwhile, Mpumalanga Provincial Police Commissioner Lt Gen Mondli Zuma announced that no police officer would be granted leave during the festive season as it is the responsibility of the police to ensure that people of the province can feel safe during the holidays.

He further encouraged communities and other stakeholders to join hands with the police in ensuring a crime-free Mpumalanga Province.

The Provincial Commissioner also received an award from the MEC for his diligent and good leadership within the provincial police service.