Seasoned police officer Major General Nomthetheleli Lilian Mene is set to take over the reins as police commissioner in the Eastern Cape next month.

Born and bred in Humansdorp, Mene will replace Lieutenant General Liziwe Ntshinga, who left the post in September to take over as deputy national commissioner responsible for crime detection. 

Mene, 56, has been acting as deputy provincial commissioner responsible for support services in the Western Cape since 1 June 2021.

As of 1 December, Mene will be promoted to the rank of Lieutenant General and will be stationed at the Eastern Cape police headquarters in Zwelitsha.

In a statement, the national police said Mene brings with her a wealth of experience having served in the police for more than 37 years at various levels in the Eastern and Western Cape.

She has been described as a highly decorated and experienced member of the police having begun her career in the SAPS in 1984 as a constable at the New Brighton police station in Gqeberha.

She steadily rose through the ranks and became one of the first female station commanders in 2000 when she was appointed to head the St Francis Bay police station in the Eastern Cape.

She has also served as the station commander of the Port Alfred police station before moving to the Western Cape, where she became station commander of Grabouw police station with the rank of Senior Superintendent (now Colonel) in 2009.

In 2010, she was promoted to the rank of brigadier, and held the same position at the Stellenbosch police station.

In 2015, she was transferred to Khayelitsha, where she held the same post.

In 2016, Mene was promoted to the rank of Major General, becoming the cluster commander in Worcester.

She holds a B-Tech degree in Policing from the Tshwane University of Technology.

Acting national police commissioner Lieutenant General Francinah Vuma said Mene's appointment was a victory for the empowerment and advancement of women in law enforcement.

Vuma added, "Given her experience as a station commander at the grassroots level of policing, we are confident she will add value to the Eastern Cape province. As we move toward prioritising women empowerment in the SAPS through the SAPS Women Empowerment Agenda 2018 to 2024, we commit ourselves to produce women with integrity and moral courage who will strive to uphold and enforce the law in a bid to build safer communities for the people of South Africa."