Communities should pray for law enforcement officers -MEC Shongwe

Communities should pray for law enforcement officers -MEC Shongwe

Mpumalanga Community Safety, Security and Liaison MEC Vusi Shongwe has called on communities around the province to fully work together with government in praying for the lives of police and traffic officers. Shongwe was speaking during a funeral service of a member of the Traffic Intervention Unit,Bhekizitha Zwane who died after a short illness last week.

Zwane was one of the hardest working traffic officers in Mpumalanga. Shongwe said among others he will be remembered for the role he played in combating corruption as he has assisted the closure of an illegal licensing station in Piet Retief.

He was also known as no nonsense traffic officer and would arrest motorists who attempted to bribe traffic officers. Zwane would also arrest his fellow colleagues if they become implicated in breaking the law. Earlier this year, 2014 Zwane was awarded with the MEC’s excellence award for his outstanding contribution in law enforcement activities in the department.

The MEC says praying for police and traffic officers would assist in reducing the high rate of deaths within the law enforcement fraternity. He says that, officers like Zwane should be commemorated for their outstanding service in the province.

Shongwe added that Zwane’s legacy should be a pure lesson and true reflection of what it means to be a servant of society. He says that his work should be used as an example to other traffic officers.

“Government servants of Zwane’s caliber should live a mark to the entire fraternity of law enforcement and we urge our communities to pray for our officers to serve with dignity, pride and integrity. Police and traffic officers face severe challenges during their operations and that is why some of them end up committing suicide. According to the population ratio, one officer is responsible for a large number of people, this therefore means that there would be a huge gap” said Shongwe.

Meanwhile, the MEC has sent his condolences to the family members, colleagues and friends of SAPS Tactical Response Team member (TRT), Victor Simelane who died in a car accident on Sunday 5 October 2014. Simelani will be buried on Saturday the 11^th of October 2014 at Delmas in Botleng Municipality.