MBOMBELA- The office of the newly appointed Mpumalanga’s Provincial Commissioner Lt Gen (Adv) Mark Dumisa Magadlela have issued statement on the alleged confrontation he had with a police constable in Belfast two weeks ago.
This is apparently because some media houses had published the incident incorrectly and without verification. “The information has gone viral on media circles vilifying the integrity of the Commissioner,”reads the media statement.
“Such information is baseless, lack substance and was not verified with the office of the Provincial Commissioner. They presented the incident maliciously. To be objective enough, the Commissioner wishes to applaud those media houses that reported the matter objectively and slam those who portrayed the incident as if there was a fight between the Commissioner and the Constable, whereas there was not,” continued statement.
The office of the Provincial Commissioner states the facts of the matter as follows:
•Lt Gen Magadlela admits that he did find a marked police vehicle belonging to Mhluzi Police Station near Middelburg parked near a liquor outlet at Belfast.
•Seeing that the vehicle belongs to another station, the commissioner as a norm wanted to enquire about the vehicle’s business in that area because the community, often complain that police are not arriving on time when called out. He suddenly saw a man carrying beers in his hands approaching the police vehicle from the passenger side.
•He then approached the man and introduced himself as the Provincial Commissioner of Mpumalanga and asked the man what he was doing with a state-owned vehicle on a Sunday and at a liquor outlet far away from where it belongs.
Colonel Sicelo Mhlontlo who was with the Provincial Commissioner joined in and also introduced himself by producing his police appointment card, however the man who turned out to be the constable in question ignored both of them.
•The Commissioner also observed that there was a woman in the very same vehicle and not a child as reflected by other media reports who went forth to dent the image of the Provincial Commissioner by saying that he did not have concern for that child. The said woman was questioned by the Commissioner of her being in the state vehicle as to whether she was a police official or a complainant. The woman just said she was sorry and left the car.
•The constable then decided to follow the woman and at that time, the Commissioner saw that the vehicle’s keys were hanging on the ignition. He then removed them at which point the constable returned and forcefully took them from the hand of the Commissioner. In the process the Commissioner sustained an injury on one of his fingers. Seeing that the constable was armed with a firearm, the Commissioner decided to retreat from him and instead followed him until at Mhluzi SAPS which is more than sixty kilometres from Belfast.
“ The other information cannot be divulged as an internal investigation against the member is underway,”reads the statement.
“While we welcome and appreciate the work done by the media, we however will appreciate that information be verified before going to print. Many community members have and still continue to respond negatively towards the Commissioner because they were made to consume incorrect information.
“At this juncture, the office of the Provincial Commissioner wishes to dispute vehemently the information that he exchanged blows with the constable and that there was a child sitting in the car, which then created false perceptions that the Commissioner is senseless and heartless.
The office of the Provincial Commissioner wishes further to explain that he was appointed by the National Commissioner with confidence, he is here to lead the entire police in the province and fulfil inter-alia discipline.
“All the incorrect and non-factual reporting by certain journalists within the media is, hereby condemned in the strongest possible terms it deserves,” reads the statement.
“I am a disciplined police officer and I demand the same from my work force. I will not tolerate a situation whereby property available to the police in fighting crime to the benefit of the community is abused. I am also calling on the community to work with me during my term in identifying police vehicles that are being abused”, said Magadlela.
