By Mbono Mdluli
MBABANE – His Majesty King Mswati III has appointed Vusi Manoma Masango as the new national commissioner (NatCom) of police.
Masango’s appointment happened today (Friday, July 5, 2024) at Matsapha Police Academy. This was during the celebration of the 21st Police Day and the commemoration of the 117th Anniversary of the existence of the Royal Eswatini Police Service (REPS).
The new NatCom will succeed Lydia Sijabulisile Dlamini, who has been acting Police NatCom for the past eight months. His Majesty the King saw it fit that Dlamini should not continue to lead REPS, as she was nearing her retirement and was appointed to serve in the King’s Advisory Body known as Liqoqo.
Speaking during the appointment, the King stated that Masango was succeeding a person who had been able to lead the police organisation with diligence, showing that women could lead organisations to greater heights. His Majesty stated that he believed Masango would sustain the standard set by Dlamini and improve it, going forward.
Dlamini had been appointed into this position, on an acting basis, after the unfortunate death of Police NatCom William Tsitsibala Dlamini. Tsitsibala was reported dead in October last year at OR Tambo International Airport in South Africa, when he was enroute to Eswatini. He had attended an InterPol meeting in Angola, a meeting which was also attended by police chiefs from other SADC countries.
Some of these police chiefs were part of the celebrations in Matsapha. Among them was the Lesotho Mounted Police Commissioner. He is said to have been with Tsitsibalala until the last minute, trying to take care of him and trying to save the situation. Unfortunately, Tsitsibalala ended up passing on. The King praised the Lesotho police chief for being there for Tsitsibala.
The King hailed Tsitsibalala as being the loyal servant of the police organisation and the nation at large. He said Tsitsibalala worked diligently for REPS. However, the King was also impressed with the work done by Dlamini, who succeeded Tsitsibala. The King said he was impressed by the preparations that were done under Dlamini’s leadership. He said he appointed Masango because he hoped he would live up to the standard set by the two commissioners who worked before Masango.
Masango was appointed together with three other police commissioners, who would occupy the positions of deputy national commissioner and senior deputy national commissioner. Vusi Edgarson Mkhabela and Judith Simangele Motsa have been appointed to the position of deputy national commissioner.
Shadrack Simelane has been appointed as the Senior Deputy National Commissioner of Police. Motsa is the only female among the police officers that have been appointed by the King today.
