MAKHOSAZANE Gladness Gcaba, the foreman of cleaning services at the Bellair SAPS, was honoured as the oldest member of the station when she celebrated her 60th birthday on September 23.
Gladness first joined the police force in 2004 as a cleaner at KwaMashu SAPS. She was promoted to foreman a year later, before she changed stations. She was moved to the Bellair SAPS in 2006 under the same position and has been with them since.
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The communications officer at Bellair SAPS, Sgt Pam Pillay said Gladness has shown so much respect, dedication and love to every member at the station for the last seven years. “She is more like a mother to all of us at the station, and not a foreman. She’s our oldest member of the team,” said Pillay.
In 2018, Gladness was nominated for the service excellent awards and the station commander of Bellair SAPS, Lt Col Radash Ramchunder, wrote in his nomination letter and highlighted Gcaba’s diligent and admirable attitude towards her work and that she provided any service required of her at an excellent standard.
“Taking her age into account, it is admirable to note that she regularly performs labour intensive duties and spends most of her day performing arduous tasks that many younger members would find difficult to accomplish. Her work is always completed without any complaint or even a little bit of negativity, despite the difficult and tiring nature of her duties,” Ramchunder said.
Gladness lives in Adam’s Mission in Amanzimtoti and leaves home in the early hours of the morning to ensure she arrives at the station before 06:00, when she starts work. The 60-year-old gogo said it has been an honour to work with the members at Bellair SAPS. Her hope is to take early retirement as she would like to spend more time with her five children and nine grandchildren.
A few staff members at the station thought a small, informal birthday party was an ideal way to honour their oldest member at the station. The team hosted a surprise party, complete with snacks and refreshments, to show their appreciation.
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