SAPS bids farewell to Gauteng police commissioner Elias Mawela

The South African Police Service (SAPS) is bidding farewell to Gauteng police commissioner and veteran officer Lt-Gen Elias Mawela.

Mawela is set to retire on Wednesday after serving in the police service for nearly four decades. His five-year term as a provincial commissioner also ends on Wednesday.

"Today [Wednesday] Mawela will hang up his boots as he bows out of service after 39 years of uninterrupted, loyal and dedicated service.

"Mawela joined SAPS as a student constable in 1984, where he started serving in the Mamelodi policing precinct and worked his way up the ranks to the level of lieutenant-general  in 2011," said police spokesperson Brig Athlenda Mathe.

Mawela held senior roles within the police service, including deputy area commissioner of Pretoria, component head of border policing, divisional commissioner: operational response services and Natjoints chairperson.

National police commissioner Gen Fannie Masemola praised Mawela for "being a great operator and an epitome of a servant leader.

“This is a commander who has left an indelible footprint as an operator in all units, stations and components he has led. A true operator, a man of action. To him it didn’t matter where he was deployed, he served the people of South Africa for the past four decades with sheer diligence and commitment.

"It has been an honour to serve alongside you. We will miss him and wish him well in his retirement. Thank you to his family for allowing him to serve.”

Mathe confirmed the process to replace Mawela as provincial commissioner is under way.

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