MEMBERS of the Durban North police station recently bid an emotional farewell to one of its top cops, Col Rene Dhlamuka who has served at the station for 10 years. Dhlamuka, will now be taking a Vispol commander post at the Verulam SAPS. Several members from the station, the CPF and members of the community hosted a farewell party for the outgoing colonel at Crusaders Sports Club.
For Dhlamuka, the occasion was an overwhelming whirlwind of emotions.
“I’m sad to leave the Durban North community, this has been like my second home. I really didn’t expect anything like the party hosted for me and I was genuinely touched by the tributes from all the members of the station and the community. I leave with mixed emotions, I’m excited for my new venture but sad to leave this wonderful community,” she said.
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Station commander of the Durban North SAPS, Col Gopaul Naidoo, said Dhlamuka’s departure was a huge loss to the station.
“She has left a massive void at the station. The colonel has always had the respect of her peers and I think her approach to servicing the community is testament to her unfailing character. It is rare to find someone who would go above and beyond what she needed to do. She has always been very involved in any operation we carry out, regardless of the time of the day, from cordon and searches to roadblocks. Col Dhlamuka was the first to sign up. It’s a huge loss to our station but we cannot stand in the way of progress, we wish her well in her new post at Verulam SAPS,” Naidoo said.
His thoughts were echoed by chairman of the Durban North/Umhlanga CPF, Haden Searles.
“It is a bitter sweet moment for all of us. I’ve personally worked with her for 10 years and I’m happy for her promotion, she certainly deserves it. The counter to that is the is community losing a stalwart, a dedicated police officer who had the respect and was loved by the members of the station and the community,” Searles said.
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