The Eastern Free State SAPS communication and liaison officer who was named SAPS 2023 Administration Employee of the Year, is now a finalist in the SAPS National Excellence Awards for 2024.
WO Mmako Mophiring, who has served for 25 years in the police and 21 years as communication and liaison officer, received the award on 14 December at the awards ceremony held in Bloemfontein.
Mophiring says while still at school he dreamt of becoming either a radio or television presenter. In 1994 he was afforded the opportunity to attend workshops in radio broadcasting and television presentation at the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) in Johannesburg by prominent radio and television station managers.
“Today I realise that these courses I took were crucial, as they paved my love for communication and my current occupation,” he said.
Mophiring applied for a position with the police in 1997 and joined the force in 1998. After his training at the academy in Pretoria, he worked operationally at police stations in Ladybrand and Frankfort.
In September 2002 he left the operational side of the police and started his career as Eastern Free State SAPS Communication Officer, through which he continued his passion for communication and fulfilled his lifelong dream, as he was working closely with various journalists all over the world.
His first breaking story was the horrendous incident at the Sol Plaatje Dam on Worker’s Day in 2003, in which members of the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) lost their lives when the bus they were traveling in ended up in the dam. At the time it was known as the Saulspoort Dam.
After this breaking story Mophiring started entering excellence awards, and he received several trophies and certificates on provincial and national level.
During the period of 2009 to 2010 he was chosen from among his peers to market the Free State Directorate for Priority Crime Investigations, also known as the Hawks.
“That was challenging, but also passionate work I enjoyed dearly.”
Mophiring has also received several recognition certificates from community-based organisations and said all these awards and recognition was only possible through God’s grace, as well as his dedication, determination and passion to serve his community with pride and humility.
“My recent achievement is a gateway to the National Excellence Awards in 2024, as a finalist. I am looking forward to participating and coming out victorious. It is an achievement which says to my colleagues: We are here to serve, and to prevent and investigate crimes which affect our community, for justice to prevail.”
