Richards Bay police station commander hangs up his boots

Richards Bay police bid farewell to station commander Brigadier Mhluleli Mngomezulu, who has officially retired

22 minutes ago

Mbuso Kunene 2 minutes read

Richards Bay station commander Brigadier Mhluleli Mngomezulu

After 38 distinguished years in the South African Police Service (SAPS), Richards Bay police station commander Brigadier Mhluleli Mngomezulu officially retired on Friday, ending a career marked by leadership during some of the region’s most challenging periods.

Mngomezulu took command of the Richards Bay police precinct in July 2021, at a critical time when South Africa was grappling with the devastating July unrest that saw businesses looted and infrastructure destroyed across parts of the country.

Under his leadership, Richards Bay emerged as one of the areas that remained largely unaffected by the widespread looting and destruction.

Mngomezulu worked closely with various stakeholders, including private security companies, businesses, community structures and the Community Policing Forum (CPF), to strengthen security and prevent the unrest from spreading to the city’s business and industrial areas.

During a farewell ceremony held at Thembela Venue in Empangeni on Friday, Mngomezulu was praised as a patriotic and dedicated police officer who served the Richards Bay community with distinction.

Speaking exclusively to the ZO, Mngomezulu described preventing the looting of businesses during the July unrest as one of the highlights of his career.

“Now this is the time for me to retire. “I have learnt a lot, and I hope that I am leaving Richards Bay in a good state,” said Mngomezulu.

He credited the strong relationship between SAPS and the CPF for helping to keep communities safe, saying partnerships between law enforcement and communities remained crucial in the fight against crime.

“Obviously, we have a serious problem with housebreaking crimes, and that needs to be addressed,” he said.

Mngomezulu also raised concerns about the growing number of homeless people moving into Richards Bay, saying the issue required the attention of various stakeholders because of its potential impact on crime and community safety.

Delivering the keynote address at the farewell, Apostle Collins Dhlomo congratulated Mngomezulu on leaving the police service with his integrity intact.

Dhlomo said Mngomezulu was retiring at a difficult time for SAPS, with the institution facing serious scrutiny over allegations of corruption, irregularities and lawlessness being heard by the Madlanga Commission.

He praised Mngomezulu for maintaining his commitment to serving the community throughout his career.

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