Mpumalanga SAPS awarded for excellent service and dedication

As a way to show appreciation to law enforcement officers for their hard work, dedication and commitment throughout this year, a prestigious awards ceremony was held on Friday, December 13.

The 2023/24 Service Excellence Awards were held at the Tshwane University of Technology Mbombela Campus. The SAPS and community policing forums’ (CPF) members’ excellent work was acknowledged in various categories.

Constable Bongiwe Mqoco from the provincial office was named the woman of the year. She was lauded for the work she does in crime prevention operations, as well as generic police functions.
Mqoco also operates roadblocks with the CPF and the Youth Desk.

“She is passionate about community outreach programmes and she initiates monthly giveaways of sanitary pads to two schools out of her personal income. She built two shacks for elderly people when their homes burnt down and donated clothing to the Siphephile Haven for abused women and children. She initiated a gala dinner for police officers in the frontline and she also partakes in soup kitchens for the elderly and child-headed homes,” said the SAPS.

She was commended for availing herself after hours and on her personal phone for cases of gender-based violence.

Chief administration clerk Macdonald Lekhuleni received the man of the year award for his involvement in the upliftment of his community.

According to the SAPS, Lukheleni has assisted community members living in mud houses. He engaged with the local municipality to help build a house for a woman and her child to live in, and engaged with a local sponsors to assist with food donations for struggling families.

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The senior manager of the year level 13 to 14 winners were the deputy provincial commissioner, Major General Botsotso Moukangwe, who won the detective category, and the acting Gert Sibande district commissioner, Brigadier Winnie Mavuso, who won the operation category.

The MEC for community safety, security and liaison, Jackie Macie, congratulated all the individual winners and teams in the various categories, as well as the nominees, saying that their dedication and commitment to the SAPS badge must be commended.

He mentioned that all committed SAPS members, even those who did not walk away with first prizes, were winners. He urged them not to despair, but to rather continue working harder for the benefit of communities. Macie explained that police work is a collective effort in which all team members jointly contribute towards preventing and solving crime.

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“In the context of fighting crime, the SAPS is our first and last line of defence,” he said.

The winners and teams were presented with trophies, vouchers and cash prizes. The event concluded with refreshments.