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UMBILO SAPS has a new communications officer who is passionate about keeping the community informed.
Lt Pumzile Makaula joined the station in June, following a move to Durban.
Lt Makaula obtained her Honours Degree in Communications from the University of the Free State in 2003 and worked for two years following this at Gauteng Tourism.
She then worked for the Department of Public Works for two years, before joining SAPS as a communications officer in Parys, Free State SAPS.
She started as a sergeant in 2008, and later moved to Margate SAPS. She then joined Queenstown SAPS where she was promoted to lieutenant, and moved to Durban in May.
“The move has been challenging as it is a bigger place, but I’m feeling very positive and don’t regret my move. I feel motivated about my position at Umbilo SAPS. I’m impressed by the willingness of the community to work with the police and the appreciation shown by the community for what the SAPS does,” she said.
She said this appreciation encourages her to work harder, and she would like to strengthen this relationship even more.
Lt Makaula said she picked up two areas of great concern to the community when she joined, the first being the number of hijackings in the area, and the second the issue of drugs in the community. She has started working on awareness projects addressing these areas of concern.
“I encourage the community to communicate with me and the SAPS so we can work together,” she said.