In celebration of International Women’s Day this year, the SA Police Service (SAPS) is taking the bull by the horns by addressing gender equality within its ranks.
The event, held this week in Gauteng under the theme “Gender Equality Today for a Sustainable Tomorrow”, celebrated the change in the number of females who are now in managerial positions in this previously male-dominated environment.
In a statement, the SAPS shared that the number of female police officers in senior management positions has risen dramatically from 1% in 2000 to 38.9% in 2022.
“Of the three deputy national commissioners, two are female and the current deputy national head for the Hawks position is also held by a female. Seven out of 11 divisional commissioners are female and four out of the nine provincial commissioners are also women,” said the SAPS in a statement.
“The multi-disciplinary national task team established to prevent and combat aggravated robberies, particularly cash-in-transit heists, is led by a female commander.
“It is also worth noting that under the guidance of the organisation’s first female chief financial officer, who was appointed to the position in 2018, the SAPS registered an improvement in its audit findings, moving from a qualified to an unqualified report for the first time in five years.”
According to the statement, SAPS reported that through the implementation of a five-year Women Empowerment Agenda Plan (2019-2024), the police service has to date reached significant milestones including the preservation of 40% of all training initiatives for women to ensure their upward mobility.
Speaking at the event, national police commissioner General Khehla Sitole, who was relieved of his duties in February by President Cyril Ramaphosa, encouraged women to do more for the victims of crime.
His office said at the time that an announcement would be made in due course on who will take over from Sitole. The national commissioner will vacate his office on March 31 by “mutual agreement”.
Sitole said: “I am proud to announce that South Africa is leading in terms of gender equality in the SADC [Southern African Development Community] region. However, let me urge you all to continue to render a selfless patriotic service to South Africans.
“This country needs women of your calibre to assist the victims of crime and bolster crime-fighting initiatives.”
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