The extraordinary achievements of police Colonel Sikitikele Freddy Modungwana, the Limpopo Public Order Police (POP) Commander, come from the most ordinary beginnings.
Born and raised in the Ga-Maisela’s India village outside Burgersfort in the Sekhukhune, Modungwana, 56, told Sunday World in an exclusive interview that all he wanted was to be a teacher when he grew up. He is the last-born and only son of his parents’ three children.
“I was born into a very poor family, in which my parents worked as a domestic worker and a gardener, respectively. They worked in some households of white people in the town of Bronkhorstspruit, outside Pretoria.
“As kids, we were already told not to compete with kids from some well-resourced families. We had to accept what our parents could afford to put on the table for survival.
Humble beginnings
“It was tough, but we had no choice. We regarded life as the best ever gift from God over luxurious life,” said Modungwane.
He added that at some point as kids they had to work in some local farms to add extra income at home.
After completing standard 10, Modungwana applied to enroll at Sekhukhune College of Education. But he was rejected.
Undeterred, Modungwana successfully applied for a Private Teacher post at a local school. He taught Northern Sotho at the school.
In 1990 he decided to go back to school with the hope of improving his symbols. He was voted the president of the Students Representative Council (SRC).
“Students and teachers had a lot of respect for me as a former private teacher. Hence my selection as SRC president against my wish because I hated politics. But then the late Peter Mokaba, who later became the ANC Youth League president, talked sense to us about the need for us as students to bring transformation at school.
“The pressure that came with being the SRC president made me drop out of the school mid-year. I went away looking for work in some mines in Randfontein, outside Johannesburg. but the violence and clashes between the ANC and IFP in 1990 drove me back home,” recalled Modungwana.
Police reservist
In 1991, he was part of a group of young men who were recruited by the government of the then Lebowa homeland. They were recruited for police reserves posts, whose job was to guard all the government buildings.
In the same year, 1991, he became a reserve constable. He began his shift at the gates of Apel Police Station, of which today, he commands Polokwane’s elite Public Order Police. He serves as provincial commander of the Tactical Response Team. This is not just career progression — this is transformation at its best.
While most South Africans watched the country’s democratic transition on television, Colonel Modungwana lived it on the front lines. Deployed to KwaZulu-Natal’s most violent flashpoints — Umlazi, Ndwendwe, Port Shepstone, and Richmond — he stood between warring factions when bullets were flying and democracy hung in the balance.
“These experiences tested my skills and my strength as a police officer. And I’m proud to have played a role in maintaining law and order during a critical period in South Africa’s history,” he recalls.
Elite Tactical Intervention Group
In 1999, Modungwana was amongst the first group of members that formed the elite Tactical Intervention Group (TIG). (The unit was formed by the Limpopo POP members and the North West Potchefstroom POP members).
TIG’s mission is to respond to medium- to high-risk duties in their provinces.
The team was later deployed to stop PAGAD’s (criminal gang) reign of terror in the Western Cape. The mission was accomplished in just three months, with the Hard Livings gang leader Rashid Staggie put behind bars. Also the dismantling of the American gangs in the region, and the arrest of the notorious gang members.
The success was so spectacular that it triggered a national revolution in tactical policing. The National Intervention Unit was born, spreading to major cities across South Africa. But when Limpopo was left out, Colonel Modungwana didn’t complain — he innovated.
In 2004, he spearheaded the creation of the Air Supported Tactical Team (ASTT) in Limpopo. This wasn’t just filling a gap — this was setting a new standard. By 2009, ASTT’s operations in Polokwane and Elim had prevented criminals from escaping with millions.
The impact was so profound that ex-SAPS National Commissioner General Bheki Cele ordered every province to establish similar teams. Today, Tactical Response Teams operate nationwide.
“Bheki Cele also directed the establishment of similar teams in all SAPS clusters. This expanded the scope of tactical operations across the country,” explains Colonel Modungwana.
Multifaceted operator
Modungwana didn’t just excel operationally — he became a master trainer. Working with the French Gendarmerie to prepare for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, he helped redevelop Public Order Police training. His work was so exceptional that during the World Cup, Coca Cola invited him as their guest to observe elimination matches in Port Elizabeth.
From training basic students to collaborating with international experts, he proved that excellence knows no boundaries.
The promotions also tell the story, which includes Captain and Provincial ORS Training Coordinator in 1999. Lieutenant Colonel (2019) and TRT Provincial Coordinator (2019), and Colonel and Unit Commander of Polokwane Public Order Police in 2024.
Colonel Modungwana’s journey resonates, because it’s fundamentally South African. He is a well-respected officer within the ranks of law enforcement. He refused to accept limitations and always found ways to excel despite constraints.
From Lebowakgomo Showground to commanding elite tactical units. From working gates to protecting World Cup matches. And from local operations to national influence. This is what extraordinary looks like when it wears a uniform.
Unit commander
Today, as Unit Commander of Polokwane Public Order Police and Provincial Commander of TRT, Colonel Modungwana continues setting the standard. Every successful tactical operation, every criminal brought to justice, every officer he has trained carries the excellence he has demonstrated for over three decades.
“My expertise continued to be recognised at the highest level in 2023. I was appointed as an authorised member in terms of the country’s constitution bills of safety at sports and recreational events. And I led the Events Safety and Security Planning Committee in planning and execution of the 13th BRICS build events at Mookgopong in the Waterberg District. In May 2025 I spearheaded the G20 build up events hosted by the following departments,” concluded Modungwana, the father of five.
