The South African Police Service (SAPS) recently held its ninth national excellence awards ceremony in Midrand. The ceremony is aimed at celebrating and rewarding police and police branches who showed outstanding dedication and commitment to their police duties.

SAPS’ Keshi Benneth Mabunda awarded for big busts

Among the award recipients was the cop who cracked the Dr Nandipha Magudumana case and the sergeant who caught Rosemary Ndlovu. According to TimesLIVE, The officer, who cannot be named, alerted the police to the fact that Dr Nandipha was repeatedly collecting dead bodies in Bloemfontein while working with killer and rapist, Thabo Bester. The cop was promoted to warrant officer, and he was given the police minister’s special award.

Watch him get his award below:

The other officer, Sargent Keshi Benneth Mabunda, also received the minister’s special award and was promoted to captain. The sergeant was being recognised for his work which led to the arrest of convicted serial killer Rosemary Ndlovu who murdered her family for insurance, as reported by SABC News.

The awards were presented by the Minister of Police, Bheki Cele, and he was joined in the ceremony by deputy police minister Cassel Mathale, Public Protector advocate Kholeka Gcaleka and National Police Commissioner Gen Fannie Masemola, among others.

Who were other SAPS award recipients

According to Police spokesperson Brig Athlenda Mathe, the awards ceremony boasts over 40 categories. The event was to foster a culture of excellence and creativity within the police force.

Several other awards were handed out during the ceremony, including the national commissioner’s special award. It was given to Lieutenant Col Joe Coetzer, who was injured during a cash-in-transit- gang takedown in Makhado in 2023. Coetzer’s operation was responsible for apprehending 19 suspects who were shot and killed during a shoutout. Coertzer was also shot in his leg during the shootout and later had to have his leg amputated.

Awards were also handed out to stations in addition to individuals. Port Nolloth was recognised as the top performing station in the Northern Cape, they exceeded set targets and achieved outstanding performance results in major areas. The station received a 100% rating in the crime prevention sector, making it the top-performing station in the country.