POLICE WOMEN BREAKING NEW GROUND

The South African Police Service Women’s Network was launched in October 2003. Since its inception, the network has grown by leaps and bounds with women taking massive strides within the organisation in both the support and operational environments. The initial work of the Women’s Network focused much of its efforts on empowering women within the organisation and proactively addressing the concerns of women.

The women in the SAPS soon realised that in order to optimize their work, they also needed to focus on areas of social responsibility. This realisation resulted in the Women’s Network expanding its functioning into various outreach programmes. The following are examples of the sterling work continuously being done by women in the SAPS:

• Women have led all-women operational teams under the auspices of Operation Basadi
   
• Women embarked on a multitude of charity work to address social needs related to the HIV/Aids pandemic, poverty, crime survivor support groups, etc.

Last year saw the launch of the prestige awards for women in the SAPS in which nine women were named and honoured for their outstanding achievements in their respective provinces. This annual event will further motivate our women to aspire to greater heights in empowering themselves and everyone around them.

All the passion and energy of these programmes are generated by the five ladies in top management in the police. They are Deputy National Commissioners Doctor Mala Singh and Commissioner Magda Stander, Divisional Commissioners Manoko Nchwe and Linda Mthimkulu, and Provincial Commissioner Mirriam Mbombo.

The key objectives of the network are to -

• facilitate mentors for women in the SAPS to help them advance their careers and assist them in becoming fully participating and contributing partners alongside their male counterparts
   
• provide adequate support to women who are victims of sexual harassment
   
• advocate career opportunities for all women in all occupational categories and at all levels in the SAPS in order to ensure a fully representative workforce
   
• devise balanced, holistic solutions and structures in keeping with changing times.

The network functions at national, provincial and station levels by establishing and revitalising existing gender structures within the SAPS. It promotes communication network among women in the SAPS through regular meetings and events.

The network also aims at training mentors at national level who will then provide support to other women. This process will eventually be cascaded to all levels of the SAPS.

Having entrenched the women’s network in the SAPS, these ladies now plan to establish a Police Women’s Network for the SARPCCO region. In early May this year the first step was taken to expand the Network across our borders into the SADC & SARPCCO (Southern African Regional Police Coordinating Committee) countries. A delegation of four SAPS Commissioners attended the SARPCCO Police Network Conference where ground-breaking resolutions were adopted.

The establishment of a regional forum for the Women’s Police Network, the formulation of a Women’s Police Network Structure within SARPCCO and reviewing the conditions of service, including equality in the workplace, rights equality, productivity and health were some of the critical issues discussed at the conference.

The five senior female Commissioners who are the champions of this Network, continuously and passionately strive to improve the position of women in policing.

With many an event hosted in South Africa over the years, more and more women are becoming active in the operational sector. “With the FIFA 2010 Soccer World Cup steadily approaching, the women in the SAPS are playing a pivotal role in the preparations. They have been dedicated to specific operational roles at national and provincial levels” said Deputy National Commissioner Mala Singh.