Hilton SAPS Search and Rescue Unit received the award for Vispol Policing and Operations Team of the Year at the police excellence awards in Durban on Wednesday. Picture: Tumi Pakkies African News Agency (ANA).
Durban - The SAPS Hilton Search and Rescue team, which rescued people and recovered bodies in the April floods, was named as one of the big winners at the KwaZulu-Natal police excellence awards this week.
KZN provincial police commissioner Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi hosted the awards on Wednesday in Durban to recognise officers for their dedication.
Sergeant Busisiwe Mjwara, who died with K9 Leah while doing a search-and-rescue operation in the Msunduzi River in Pietermaritzburg in April, was a member of Hilton Search and Rescue SAPS.
Mkhwanazi said police work was highly specialised and often not recognised.
“The work that police do is to combat and investigate crime. When people are frustrated by service delivery or face social ills, the first place they come to is the police.
“People seem to forget the compassionate side of police and the service they provide. In this job it is not about accolades, but about dedication and a call to serve and protect the people of our nation. We must acknowledge police for the work that they do even though they face hardships.”
Hilton Search and Rescue Unit received the award for Vispol Policing and Operations Team of the Year.
The team was honoured for carrying out 743 hours of search and rescue during the April floods, performing rescues of survivors and recovering bodies to bring closure to families.
Sergeant Jesse Mare of Hilton Search and Rescue SAPS dedicated the award to Sergeant Mjwara.
“Sergeant Mjwara wasn’t our friend, she was our sister and this award is for her. We love and miss her and she is here with us in spirit. Every duty that we performed, she did it with us and she deserves this award just as much.”
Mare said they were humbled and grateful to receive the award.
“We worked very hard and tirelessly. We are grateful and thankful to the SAPS management. More than anything, we are inspired to continue to work hard and serve and protect. I speak for all my colleagues, it was the first time experiencing such devastation and destruction. But we knew we had a duty to save people and bring closure to families.”
Another winner on the night was Constable Nontando Sangweni from Inanda SAPS who scooped two awards.
Sangweni was awarded the Detective and Forensic Service employee of the year award for investigating and securing convictions related to murder, attempted murder and unlawful possession of firearms.
She was also awarded for being part of the unrest task team that secured arrests for the murders that happened during last year’s riots.
Sangweni, who has been a police officer for 10 years, said: “This has always been my passion to serve my community and province. I am a detective and mostly deal with investigating murders. I am there to ensure that evidence found leads to successful prosecutions.”
Colonel Bhekinkosi B Ntshangase, a detective from the provincial organised crime unit, said he was delighted with receiving the police commissioner’s special award in recognition of the lengthy jail sentences obtained in cases he investigated.
Chatsworth Police station won the award for police station of the year in KZN.
Chatsworth SAPS was awarded for containing looting during the July unrest in 2021, prioritising the fight against crime against women and children, and recovering 48 stolen vehicles and 66 illegal firearms.
Communications officer at the Chatsworth station, Captain Cheryl Pillay, was named policewoman of the year, while Clinton Odayar of Umhlali K9 Search and Rescue was named policeman of the year.