MBOMBELA – Tonga Cluster once again outshone the rest during the annual Tracker SAPS Awards held at A Tua Casa last week.

Also read: Tonga shines at provincial Tracker-SAPS awards

The awards ceremony honours the courage and dedication of law enforcement officers and units which make a significant impact in locating and recovering stolen and hijacked vehicles. Individual and unit winners were recognised in each of the nine provinces for their contribution towards the fight against vehicle crime, before the overall winners are announced at the national awards.

As a small cluster, Tonga Cluster is the last defence to combat vehicle crime on the busiest smuggle route from South Africa to neighbouring countries. Under the guidance and leadership of Maj Gen Dorah Xaba, the cluster was responsible for the recovery of 311 vehicles and was therefore crowned as the 2019 overall Tracker/SAPS Provincial Unit winner for Mpumalanga.

As cluster commander, Xaba is on the front line with members on the ground, and has a hands-on approach when it comes to combatting crime. Her members are motivated and extremely eager to assist under any circumstances, in areas bordering SA, Mozambique and eSwatini. It is said her Tracker equipment is always fully functional and utilised to its full potential.

Sgt Jacob Sondlane from Tonga Vispol was the overall individual winner He is a well-known police official and notoriously known as a no-nonsense officer when it comes to combatting crime. As a young professional, he dedicates his life to making South Africa a safe place for all. This reflects in the successes he has had in the combatting of vehicle crime and cross-border smuggling.

Sondlane is responsible for the recovery of 55 stolen/carjacked vehicles, numerous arrests and convictions that resulted in lengthy sentences to the perpetrators. He is diligent in ensuring that all cases with which he is involved are thoroughly investigated and court proceedings followed up.

He is available 24/7 and has never rejected any call to assist, and just like Xaba, his Tracker equipment is always in working order, utilised to the full, clean and properly maintained. The winners were congratulated by provincial commissioner Lt Gen Mondli Zuma.