Johannesburg - The South African Police Service (SAPS) has appointed a new Provincial Head of Corporate Communication and Media Liaison Services.
Brigadier Hlulani Mashaba was yesterday announced as the new head of communication for Limpopo following the departure of now retired provincial head, Brigadier Motlafela Mojapelo.
The Provincial Commissioner of the SAPS in Limpopo, Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe, represented by Deputy Provincial Commissioner Human Resources, Major General Christine Morakaladi, introduced Mashaba to the Limpopo province media houses and the public yesterday.
Deputy Provincial Commissioner Christine Morakaladi was joined by Department of Transport and Community Safety Director Tidimalo Chuene, spokesperson for the Directorate Priority Crime Investigations (Hawks), Lieutenant Colonel Maluleke Matimba, and other members of media houses such as Radio Turf, Energy FM, Waterberg Wave FM, Perfect Radio, Mokopane Community Radio, Sekgosese Community Radio, just to mention a few, different District Corporate Communications Officers, as well as members of SAPS Provincial Corporate Communications.
During his speech, Mashaba acknowledged his previous employer, the Department of Community Safety under the leadership of MEC Faith Mazibuko, for the vast amount of experience he has attained during his years of service and said that he would use this experience to ensure seamless co-ordination of communication services within the SAPS, working closely with various law enforcement agencies and other stakeholders with an interest in safety.
Mashaba also hailed his predecessors, former Provincial Head of Corporate Communication and Liaison, Brigadier Motlafela Mojapelo and most notably, Colonel Malesela Ledwaba, who held the fort since the retirement of the former Provincial Head. "It is our duty as communicators to communicate the successes of integrated policing to society and various stakeholders,” said Mashaba.
“I am here to enhance the prestige and image of SAPS and am ready to serve Limpopo province with humility, commitment, dedication and passion,” he added.
He said he would be strengthening relationships with media houses as part of a media relations building exercise and appreciated the already existing working relations forged by the SAPS Media Relations team in the province.
“This exercise will help the media to understand our area of work better. In a relaxed setting such as this one, the media will also begin to appreciate the constraints and successes of SAPS.”
Mashaba also stressed the need for collaboration between police and media in information sharing with the purpose of educating and empowering communities.
He believes in empowering the citizens to participate in fighting crime collectively with the police.