Management team
Ladies and gentlemen.
Let me thank you for joining us this afternoon. The purpose of this session is to introduce our new Provincial Commissioner Lieutenant General Mark Dumisa Magadlela to the management team of SAPS in the province and the broader public. He was previously the Eastern Cape’s Deputy Provincial Commissioner for Crime Detection, and now the Provincial Commissioner for Mpumalanga province. He is a career policeman and an admitted Advocate of the High Court who started his career with the police in 1981 and rose through the ranks. He graduated from the University of Transkei with a BA in Police Science, BA Honours in Criminology, LLB from the University of Fort Hare and is currently studying towards a Master’s Degree in Philosophy. Major General Magadlela is a tried and tested policeman, an experienced investigator and an academic.
I met with the management team of the province this morning where I emphasised the need for them to unite behind the new Provincial Commissioner.
There is no time to waste on pursuing any other agenda except that of ensuring that the many crime challenges this province is faced with are addressed.
General Magadlela, I'm certain that you will soon realize that there sometimes criminality orchestrated by own officers. Witbank is their playground whilst the N4 is their ATM. They have a hand in serious crimes including bank and cash in transit robberies. On the N4, drugs and illegal firearms are transported to Gauteng because criminals loaded with cash bribe our members. We recently arrested 19 police officers in Limpopo who were taking bribes from criminals transporting illegal cigarettes. Do the same in this province.
Myself, the entire leadership team of SAPS and I'm certain the people of this province, are tired of criminal cops. I want you to use your detective and leadership abilities to pursue these criminal cops relentlessly. Go for it! You have our support.
Good work is already being done noting from the arrests of police officials for involvement in the robbery of the SBV cash depot. A certain Captain Mnisi has also resigned from the SAPS after he was arrested for handing over a firearm to house robbery suspects. Although he has resigned, his criminal case is continuing.
Mpumalanga province is of strategic importance to the country particularly with regard to electricity supply. We have established the Mine Crime Combatting Forum to coordinate our efforts in this regard. An issue which contributes to our high murder rate is illegal mining, particularly in the areas of Sekunda, Barberton and Witbank.
Like other provinces, Mpumalanga has a serious problem with drugs, nyaope in particular. The youth who are addicted to these drugs are terrorising their families and the community at large. There is good work being done already but there is a need to enhance the efforts.
KwaMhlanga cluster is on its knees struggling under the weight of the Nyaope boys. The community is crying out to us for help. We are their only hope.
General, I know that your to do list is very long already, but please add an urgent meeting with our new Divisional Commissioner for Technology Management Services Lieutenant General Adele Shezi to sort out the lingering issue of our officers not having access to our critical systems and other basic things such as emails. There are many vacancies to be filled and other resource related issues to be sorted out. Speed is of the essence here.
Those are my priorities for this province but I'm sure as you roll up your sleeves, you will come across other issues require attention. Work with your management team to attend to this.
Let me take this opportunity to thank Major General Nogwanya, who ably held the fort whilst we were finalising the appointment of a Provincial Commissioner. The SAPS is forever grateful for the hard work and leadership provided.
In conclusion, myself and the entire leadership of SAPS congratulate you on appointment. We wish you every success. You have our support.
