Ngoepe retired on Friday, April 1. The veteran communications specialist worked at the Bolobedu Police Station in the client service center (CSC) from 1986 to 1988 as a sergeant before joining the communications unit. He worked as a detective holding the rank of a warrant officer which was later translated into inspector until 1995. “I have 37 years uninterrupted service in the police of which 27 years were as a media liaison officer.” In 2018, he received an award as the best administration employee of the year during the provincial prestige awards ceremony. In the same year he was promoted to the provincial commander of media relations in Limpopo until his retirement.
He said he wanted to become a police officer from the time he was at high school. “Even in school concerts I always played the role of a police officer,” said Ngoepe. Within three years of becoming Bolobedu Police Station’s communication officer, he was appointed as area communication officer in the then Mopani area. It was not long before his outstanding communication skills elevated him to the next level and he was appointed as area head of communications as captain. He worked there until the areas where dissolved and clusters were introduced. During that period, he was promoted to lieutenant colonel. He also headed communications at the police stations in Polokwane and Tzaneen before he joined the Limpopo provincial corporate communication and liaison as the provincial commander of the media centre in 2016
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He was promoted to the post of provincial commander of media relations in 2018 with the rank of colonel until retirement. “I managed to handle all the media houses equally and also releasing verified information at all times. I managed to keep the healthy and professional working relationship with all the journalists without taking sides or having preferred contacts. “I always maintained the respect to the journalists irrespective of their media houses. “I have championed the media deadlines and even encouraging members who are serving under me to do that because journalists are the mouth piece of the general public. “I am happy because I have run my race in full, although it is not easy for me because I am now losing my SAPS family, but it is time,” added Ngoepe.
During his career Ngoepe provided exceptional leadership on communication matters and as a team player, he led an outstanding team of individuals which provided the quality support to the organisation in terms of communication and media liaison. Accolades include being awarded the best spokesperson in Limpopo in 2005; public guest speaker award in 2006 as well as an appreciation of good service award; nominee for the 2012 Thobela FM African Legend for Changing Lives through mass-media (nationally); and best administration employee of the year 2018 during the provincial prestige awards ceremony, to name a few.
Ngoepe urged young officers to equip themselves with knowledge by furthering their studies and attending courses and learning programmes offered by the SAPS training institutions. To him, time management and respect are what shape a good and productive communicator. The provincial commissioner of police in Limpopo, Lt Gen Thembi Hadebe praised him for his good work. “Your work will cling on as a remembrance for your contribution in this province and the organisation at large,” she said. Ngoepe was born and raised in Tauatswala village outside Steilop in Limpopo. He concluded that he was born for the job of communicator and will continue to serve the community even after retirement.
