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‘Tshabalala was a man of firsts’

10/08/2013 00:59:00 BY ZWELIHLE SUKATI

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The late Enock Richard Tshabalala in his younger days.

MATSAPHA – Mourners came in numbers for the Memorial Service of late Senzenjani Enock Richard Tshabalala who was described as a man of firsts.

The service was attended by government officials, relatives, friends, senior Royal Swaziland Police officers as well as those from His Majesty’s Correctional Services.
Representing the Police Commissioner was Police Director of Human Resources and Health Parton Nxumalo.

In his remarks Nxumalo told mourners that Tshabalala filed a formal request in 1997 that should he die, his wish was to be buried by the Royal Swazi-land Police (RSP). “Once a police officer, always a police officer,” said Nxumalo.
“It is for that reason that the National Commissioner of Police has assigned me to this service till the end,” he said. Tshabalala was still an active subscriber to the police burial scheme.

His Majesty’s Correctional Services Deputy Commissioner Phindile Dlamini also sent her condolences on behalf of the institution. “Tshabalala will always be remembered for his great work. He would be invited during our functions at the Correctional Services,” said Dlamini.
She read the Book of Psalms 23 verse 1 as she consoled friends and relatives. It reads: “The Lord is my Shepherd. I shall not want.”
Hhohho Regional Administrator Ben Nsibandze who was also government representative during the memorial service described Tshabalala as a disciplinarian and an intelligent individual.

“He was a disciplinarian which was a vital quality at the time not now where being a disciplinarian is associated with abuse,” said Nsibandze. He said at that time there was little corruption.

Tshabalala was described as a man of firsts as he was the first Police Aide du camp for King Sobhuza II, first police to be transferred from the RSP to His Majesty’s Correctional Services as Deputy Commissioner, first Swazi to be Head of Security at Ubombo Ran-ches and one of the first Swazis to be Regional Administrator.

Tshabalala will be laid to rest this morning at 6am in Ekutsi-muleni, Luve.