The first woman police general in the Eastern Cape, who made a name for herself busting sick leave corruption in the SAPS, has retired following a career spanning 37 years.
Major-General Nomalady Dlani, deputy provincial commissioner for human resources management, said she earned some enemies when she launched an investigation into the so-called double parking leave scam, which saw a number of officers dismissed.
Dlani, 60, was reminiscing for 200 guests at her smart, fashionable farewell party at the East London ICC on Wednesday.
Looking back on almost four decades of service, Dlani said: “When I took office, I earned myself some enemies. Threats and insults were hurled at me because I noticed that there were police members who were on prolonged sick leave getting paid while working elsewhere.“Following the investigation, we had to fire some members for corruption.
“People cannot be permanently drawing salaries from the state while also employed elsewhere.”Speakers at the ceremony included Eastern Cape provincial commissioner Lieutenant-General Liziwe Ntshinga, who described Dlani as stylish, fashionable and a career police officer with strong leadership skills.
“Lady”, as she is affectionately called by her former colleagues, was one of the first women to join the former Transkei Police Service. This was in March 1981, long before it was amalgamated with the SAPS in 1995.
Following years of excelling in the SAPS legal services department, Dlani made history when she was promoted to major-general on March 1 2010 – the first woman general in the province.
She holds an LLB degree from the University of Transkei (now Walter Sisulu University’s Nelson Mandela Drive campus) with majors in advanced private law, advanced constitutional law and advanced administrative law.
Speakers described Dlani as an instrumental figure in ensuring that police officers had a smooth transition during the relocation of the SAPS provincial head offices from Port Elizabeth to Zwelitsha in 2003.
Dlani told guests how women officers had to endure dehumanising treatment from the apartheid regime. “At first we were not allowed to marry or have children and we were subjected to a pregnancy test every three months,” said Dlani.
“Later on that rule was relaxed and we were allowed to marry – but only to a policeman. The environment was male-dominated and highly racist.”
The crowd burst into laughter when Dlani revealed how they would cheat the system by substituting their urine to protect pregnant policewomen, who faced dismissal if they were pregnant.The ceremony was a joint affair, also marking the retirement of provincial head of management intervention Major-General Zamuthango “MK” Mki, 60.
Mki was described by Ntshinga as an old-fashioned career cop – intimidating, but with a heart of gold. — malibongwed@dispatch.co.za..