The SAPS in Katlehong has a new head; a woman, a brigadier, soft-hearted, loving and a caring mother of two who is as tough as steel against crime and lawlessness.
“First and foremost, I am a woman and a mother and I understand what it is to be compassionate, caring and understanding. My commitment and responsibility to the community of Katlehong will always be tilted toward those who seek refuge in justice through the law,” explained the new Katlehong police head, Brig Shirley Pumla Mdlankomo.
Mdlankomo is the first female police head to be posted at the Katlehong police precinct. This, however, is not her first high-profile post in a densely populated and high-crime zone residential area such as Katlehong.
The soft-spoken mother of two adult children has held similar posts, as head of a police station, at some of the toughest townships in both the East and Western Cape. Born in Khayelitsha, Mdlankomo started her career in the police force in Zwelitshaele in 1983.
Between Januray to July, 1984, she attended the Hammanskraal Police Academy as a cadet officer, rising through the ranks from 1984 to 1995, from constable to warrant officer to captain in 2000.
Her police career in Gauteng started in 2011 after she was promoted to the rank of brigadier and station commander at the Primrose Police Station in Germiston.
During 2012, Brig Mdlankomo, became Germiston SAPS Cluster Commander with six police stations under her command.
These were Alberton SAPS, Bedfordiew SAPS, Brackendowns SAPS, Elsburg SAPS, Germiston SAPS and Primrose SAPS.
Mdlankomo made a desperate appeal to the community of Katlehong to take advantage of her “open door” policy.
“I am a firm and strong believer in keeping my office door open to anyone at anytime,” she said.
A staunch Christian, Brig Mdlankomo, voiced her disgust at women who abuse alcohol.
“If you are a woman and you really have to drink surely you can drink in the comfort and privacy of your home, instead of making a laughing stock of yourself in public, or a victim of crime,” said the female police head who has promised to deal with many of the issues troubling her new community in a “motherly-fashion”.
She invited members of the community to make use of her office to discuss and seek solutions to issues and problems.
She already has several meetings lined-up in a bid to forge relations with community leaders, including the local taxi industry, hostels, the liquor traders associations and schools.
And her parting word to readers was that they will see a huge difference in the turn-around time for their reported cases and those still under investigation.
“My management team and I have put some progressive measures in place which will soon be felt by the public regarding the investigation of reported cases,” said Brig Mdlankomo.
