Lieut-Col Andries Tshabalala to lead the provincial anti-gang unit

eMBALENHLE – Lieutenant Colonel Andries Tshabalala, the head of the detectives at the eMbalenhle Police Station, has been promoted to lead the Mpumalanga Anti-Gang Unit.

Tshabalala, who was deployed by the province to eMbalenhle Police Station two years ago because of underperformance at the station, is happy to fulfil what he was tasked to do.

He said that during his arrival in 2019, he noticed eMbalenhle was a busy township with different people from different places and a lot of gangsterism.

The first thing Tshabalala did, was to motivate members and to build a relationship between the departments of visible police, crime prevention and detectives.

“After uniting these departments, I moved on to awarding certificates to all those officers who performed better in fighting crime.

“That lifted the working spirit of all station components and they began to work harder,” explained Tshabalala.

He also formed the former Secunda Branch Commanders Intervention Unit in 2021 which yielded good results in crime stabilisation.

“We have had success in solving some cases where the culprits were arrested, charged and sentenced.”

Tshabalala won the awards for Detective and Forensic Service Employee of the Year and Outstanding Dedication at the Gert Sibande District Police Awards held at the Evander Club last month. According to Tshabalala, it is painful to say goodbye.

“We were like family at the station.

Tshabalala said eMbalenhle will remain his home although he will be working from Nelspruit.

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