One-on-one with Sergeant Sharon Mahamba-Tsotsotso

Born in Delmas, Mpumalanga, the Sebenza SAPS communications officer, Sergeant Sharon Mahamba-Tsotsotso, studied teaching.

After completing her studies, she found herself unemployed until she joined the SAPS.

The NEWS’ journalist, Buli Sonqishe, sat down with this mother of three to get to know the woman responsible for the Sebenza SAPS’ communications.

Buli: How did you become a police officer?

Sharon: After completing my studies in teaching, I could not find a job in education. One day, while walking past a building, I saw many people lining up and I went to investigate what was happening and was told the SAPS was looking for people. I took the forms and returned them. I was selected for training which I completed in September 2003. After completing the training, I worked in crime prevention, sector policing and as court orderly at the Tembisa Police Station. In 2009, I was transferred to Sebenza Police Station.

Buli: What do you love about your job?

Sharon: I love helping people and this job allows me to do just that. Our slogan says ‘Protect and Serve’ and I don’t take that very lightly.

Buli: Is there anything you don’t like about your job?

Sharon: I hate situations that have to do with abuse, especially child abuse, women abuse and rape cases. Those cases are difficult to work on because of the nature of the crime.

Buli: Do you have any family members close to you who are also in the police force?

Sharon: Yes, I have cousins who are in the force.

Buli: Since you became a police officer, what would you say was the worse scene you have ever had to respond to?

Sharon: A few years ago, while still working in Tembisa, we were patrolling around 2am when we came across a man who was carrying a plastic bag. We stopped him and asked what he had in the bag. He told us that he was cleaning his yard. That made us suspicious because I don’t know anyone who would clean at that time of the morning. We asked him to open the plastic bag and what I saw there was horrific. It was a woman’s body, chopped into pieces and put into the bag.

Buli: You have just been promoted, what is your new title and what does this promotion mean regarding your previous duties?

Sharon: I’ve just been promoted to Sergeant. I will still continue to do my duties as the communications officer for the Sebenza SAPS, as well as crime prevention coordinator. The promotion means more responsibilities as well as commanding the junior members.

Buli: Police officers usually come under fire from the public; what do you think can be done to change the public’s perception of the police?

Sharon: It is up to us the police to put more effort in and change the public’s perceptions by doing our job. Another problem is police officers developing friendships in the community. Police end up not being taken seriously. I think police officers need to be re-assigned to other police stations after a while so they don’t get too comfortable.

Buli: These past few months there have been a lot of police killings in South Africa. What do you think can be done to change the situation and prevent such killings?

Sharon: The public must work with the police so that the perpetrators are brought to book. There needs to be more awareness to teach the public to come forward and report criminal activities when they see them. They need to to know when they report crime, they can stay anonymous and the Sebenza SAPS has secrecy forms so their identities cannot be revealed. We even have a suggestion box where they can report and the box is only opened by the Community Policing Forum (CPF) chairman.

Buli: If you were given an opportunity to become a teacher, would you take it?

Sharon: No, I would not take the opportunity because I love what I do now and would not change it.