New station commander is a man of action

DODGING bullets that narrowly missed him did not stop Brigadier Mandla Mhlongo from pursuing his passion to protect his community. Mhlongo, who joined the police force in October, 1986 has been appointed as Pinetown SAPS‘s new station commander replacing Brigadier Bongi Sithole.

Although a man that commands respect, he is also approachable and listens with intent to what one has to say.

He said love for the community and fighting crime was what made him to sign up as a policeman. He joined the Umlazi police and went to college for training in January 1987.

Mhlongo worked at Secunda Police Station as a constable after training, then worked at Standerton from 1991 to 1994. From 1994 till last year, 2016, he has been stationed at Mthunzini Police Station in Empangeni where he climbed the ranks.

In 1995, he became lieutenant and that title fell away after three months and he was promoted to a captain. He was appointed as the Mthunzini station commander in 1998 and in 2001, he was ranked superintendent.

From 2005 till 2016, Mhlongo has been serving the police force under a rank of a senior superintendent until he was promoted to Brigadier on 1 January 2017.

“I want to see crime decreasing drastically and that would make me a really happy man,” said Mhlongo.

With Pinetown known as Highway “crimetown”, Mhlongo said new strategies need to be urgently implemented.

“If one strategy does not work, then it should be changed. We cannot always be following the criminals, but as police, we need to be one step ahead,” he said.

He added that he believed that action speaks louder than words. Mhlongo said he does not do much in his spare time as his job is his life and it is where he spends most of his time.

He can be contacted on 082 417 5922.

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