Experienced policeman, Lieutenant General Elias Mawela, has been announced as the new Gauteng provincial commissioner.
Mawela takes over the reins from Deliwe De Lange who retired in October last year.
With 34 years’ experience in the police force, Police Minister Bheki Cele expressed full confidence in Mawela.
Mawela’s appointment was among a raft of Gauteng leadership appointments announced by National Commissioner, General Khehla Sitole, on Wednesday. Sitole during the process briefing announced a reconfiguration of the province’s leadership which will change from cluster to five regions.
Speaking at the event, Cele said: “Gauteng Province has and will always continue to be one of our priorities in crime fighting and to reduce crime in the Republic of South Africa”.
“Hence this province in particular could not be allowed to stay long without a permanent Provincial Commissioner,” he said.
Cele thanked Gauteng Premier David Makhura and provincial community safety MEC Sizakele Nkosi-Malobane, as well as the South African Police Service management for their cooperation during the process of appointing the leadership of the province and reorganization of the provincial management.
Mawela, who was enlisted in 1984, has obtained a National Diploma in Policing and a Bachelor’s Degree in Administration. He has been in senior management positions since 2004 at national level, as well as serving as a joint Chairperson of the National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure (NATJOINTS) the operational arm of the Justice Crime Prevention and Security Cluster.
The newly appointed provincial commissioner of Gauteng has been serving as a divisional commissioner of Operational Response Services (ORS) since 2011.
“As the Ministry of Police and the management of the SAPS we have full confidence in the newly appointed Provincial Commissioner and we call upon all structures in the criminal justice cluster to work together with the police in the fight against crime, and creating a safe and secure environment for all. As well as to ensure a better and easy life for the people of Gauteng. Working together we can and surely turn the tide on Gauteng,” said Cele.
Makhura welcomed the appointment and said the Gauteng government looked forward to working with Mawela.
“The MEC and I will be there working with the policemen and women. We are not just going to complain – we will be there with the police to face the criminals head on,” he said.
He added that his government was determined to make the province safe.
“We want to work with our communities. Let us make sure that the communities are organised, let us make sure that the CPFs are in place. We must report criminals; we know them. Our children are on drugs – we must target these drug lords and their factories. We mustn’t just go for those who distribute. We must arrest the big guns,” he said.
He urged the provincial top brass to have Gauteng’s most wanted criminals to be in jail in the next three months.
Mawela described himself as a leader who was always willing to hear new ideas in the quest to improving crime fighting efforts.
“In the spirit of community policing, I call on all the people of Gauteng to tell me: how do you want me to police you?” Mawela said. – SAnews.gov.za
