Mhala best in the region

BUSHBUCKRIDGE – Mhala Police Station was announced the best performing station in the whole of the Ehlanzeni region.

This comes after the station received accolades for being the best station managed by a colonel and best managed by a female. It is also the runner-up in the category best overall station in the province after this year’s winner Machadodorp of the Nkangala Region.

In an exclusive interview with Mpumalanga News the excited station commander Col Thandekile Gladys Nobela says she is so proud to be one of the best station commanders in the province. She added that she had received the same award in 2011/12 when she won best female station commander of the Mhala. She joined the station in 2010.

When asked if there was any secret to her leadership qualities she attributed all her successes to teamwork. “We work as a team and have good partnership with the community in our policing areas. Our community policing forum (CPF) is very effective in closing the gap between police and the community,” said Nobela.

She added the station conducted many projects together with government departments and NGOs in raising awareness on various topics such as women- and child abuse.

“We also hold many outreaches where we address the community and give them time to ask questions and clarify our services to them. We also answer their enquiries,” she said. Nobela also urged the community to report cases and said they would be thoroughly investigated. She added that her station also updated complaints about progress in cases. “We give feedback to the complainants about their cases,” she said.

When Nobela was asked if there were any areas in which to improve, she said they planned to engage more stakeholders such as business owners in their activities.

“There is a lot that they can do in improving the live of the needy and orphans so that they don’t become victims of crime, together we can fight crime in our area,” She said. She added that her station was committed to 100 per cent service delivery.

The MEC’s Excellence Awards are hosted every year by the Department of Community Safety, Security and Liaison and awards are presented to the best performing stations after conducting a thorough evaluation exercise involving departmental officials and members of the Community Police Forums (CPFs). A total of 86 police station in the province competed for honours this year.

The MEC for community safety, security and liaison, Mr Vusi Shongwe, said it was important for other SAPS members to also learn from these top stations and comply with the SAPS Code of Conduct and Ethics, which prescribes and emphasises the importance of ethical behaviour and integrity for all employees.