Cops who raised alarm on Dr Magudumana’s crimes and caught Rosemary Ndlovu get promotions

A constable who alerted police to Dr Nandipha Magudumana’s crimes and a sergeant who caught Rosemary Ndlovu were promoted at a special police service awards day.

The South African Police Service held the ninth edition of its national excellence awards in Midrand, Gauteng to reward employees, reservists and community police forum (CPF) structures who displayed excellence, dedication and extraordinary commitment in the execution of their daily duties during the 2022/23 financial year. 

Police minister Bheki Cele was joined by minister in the presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, deputy police minister Cassel Mathale, public protector advocate Kholeka Gcaleka and national police commissioner Gen Fannie Masemola.

The constable from the Free State, who cannot be named for security reasons, blew the lid on Magudumana repeatedly collecting dead bodies in Bloemfontein, which led to her arrest and that of murderer and rapist Thabo Bester. 

He was promoted to the rank of warrant officer and received the police minister’s special award.

Sgt Keshi Benneth Mabunda, known for taking down insurance claim fraudsters, also received the minister’s special award and was promoted to captain.

Mabunda’s quality investigations led to the conviction of Ndlovu, and more recently the arrest of a woman linked to the murder of her cousin and biological son in North West. 

Police spokesperson Brig Athlenda Mathe said the awards encouraged innovation and reinforced a culture of excellence within the police service to ensure employees continued to deliver professional services to communities. 

Mathe said the awards boasted 47 categories that included admin employee of the year, high-risk member of the year, detective and forensic member of the year, woman of the year, CPF of the year, person with disability of the year and station of the year. 

Also among those receiving the minister’s special awards were Sgt Molwantoa Rapakgadi, a detective attached to Gauteng serial and electronic crime investigations who investigates serial rapists and offenders involved in child pornography.

Mathe said Rapakgadi had secured 57 life terms and an additional 3,074 years in prison for 17 serial rapists.

“He is certainly living up to his first name, Molwantoa, which loosely translated from Sepedi, means ‘warrior’,” she said.

The national commissioner’s special award went to Lt-Col Joe Coetzer, who was part of a takedown operation that dismantled a cash-in-transit gang in Makhado last year where 19 suspects were shot and killed in an operation.

Coetzer was injured during the shootout when he was struck in the leg, which later had to be amputated.

High-risk member of the year was awarded to Lt-Col Junior Santi, operational commander of Parkroad tactical response team in the Free State who oversees 57 operational members.

“Santi’s exceptional leadership resulted in 141 arrests and the seizure of counterfeit money valued at more than R800,000 during the 2022/23 financial year. Lt-Col Santi was also voted as this year’s laureate award winner and walked away with a new vehicle,” said Mathe.

Port Nolloth scooped the station of the year award. It has been recognised as the top performing station in the Northern Cape, surpassing set targets and achieving outstanding results in key areas.

Mathe said the station received a remarkable 100% rating in the crime prevention environment, making it the best-performing station in crime prevention in the province and across the country.

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