BETHAL – Mpumalanga Premier Mandla Ndlovu has officially announced the appointment of Lieutenant General Nkaokoane Aphania Modise as the new Provincial Commissioner of the South African Police Service (SAPS) in Mpumalanga.
Modise's appointment takes effect from 1 August 2026, ushering in a new chapter of policing leadership in the province. She was officially unveiled at Bethal Police Station in the Govan Mbeki Local Municipality on Friday, 31 July 2026, by Acting National Commissioner Lieutenant General Puleng Dimpane, who was joined by Premier Ndlovu and Mpumalanga MEC for Community Safety, Security and Liaison Jackie Macie.
The appointment brings to a close the tenure of former Provincial Commissioner Lieutenant General Semakaleng Daphney Manamela, who was suspended in June 2024 over allegations of misconduct, including claims that state funds were used to procure furniture and household appliances for her official residence. Following her suspension, Major General (Dr) Zeph Mkhwanazi was appointed Acting Provincial Commissioner and is credited with stabilising the provincial police leadership until his retirement on 1 August 2026.
Lieutenant General Modise brings more than 35 years of policing experience to the role. Having joined SAPS in 1989, she served as Station Commander at Senekal and Odendaalsrus before being promoted to Brigadier in 2012, where she was responsible for the Moqhaka Cluster in the Free State.
She was promoted to Major General in 2016, leading the Thabong and Welkom Clusters, before being appointed Deputy Provincial Commissioner for Crime Detection in the Free State in 2020. She holds a National Diploma in Policing and a Bachelor of Arts in Public Administration.
Welcoming the appointment, MEC Macie said the department looks forward to working with the new Provincial Commissioner to strengthen community policing, improve response times and ensure the recently announced police reset agenda is fully realised.
He also wished the Commissioner well and reaffirmed the province's support in providing oversight to enable SAPS to deliver on its mandate.
"We believe that the province will immensely benefit from her experience in crime detection, operations and extensive policing. Her appointment comes at a time when the province is faced with challenges of gun violence in the Calcutta policing precinct, illegal mining and organised crime, among others," said Macie.
The MEC also paid tribute to Major General (Dr) Zeph Mkhwanazi for his leadership during his tenure as Acting Provincial Commissioner.
Macie credited Mkhwanazi with maintaining stability within the provincial police leadership, improving staff morale and strengthening the fight against crime, which resulted in significant progress in combating criminal activities across the province.
"We are grateful to Dr Mkhwanazi for his sterling service and dedication towards enhancing community safety. He was instrumental in the reductions we have seen and in bringing many perpetrators of crime to book. We wish him all the best for the future," he said.
