POLOKWANE – She joined the police force as an air-hostess and is now the only female qualified commercial police helicopter pilot in the province.
The 32-year-old Mamogale hails from a small village, Jericho in the North West and joined the SAPS in December 2008 in Wonderboom, Pretoria, where she catered to delegates and ensured that her passengers were safe and well taken care of during their official trips. She qualified as a air hostess and in 2019 obtained a diploma in travel and tourism. She later enrolled for a diploma in safety management and as her interest in aviation grew, she decided to pursue a career as a pilot.
It took two years for her bursary to be approved but during this time Mamogale never gave up, she kept aiming high and kept on reapplying. In 2015 her bursary was approved and since then she has not looked back. She studied hard and completed her studies and was appointed as a qualified commercial helicopter pilot the following year.
In 2017 she was transferred to the Polokwane Police Air and has the responsibility of ensuring the safe operation of the helicopter and the aircrew during airborne operations. Her daily duties include giving her fellow officers air-support during operations which include search operations.
“It gives me great pleasure each time a mission is accomplished and if we fail today, tomorrow is definitely another day to push even harder,” Mamogale said in a police statement issued by the Office of the Provincial Commissioner.
As a mother of two boys (aged 9 and 19 months), she encourages women to push hard even in situations that seem impossible. “No matter how tough it may look, it is still possible. The greatest rewards come when you apply yourself. It is about bettering the lives of others, being part of something bigger than yourself, and making a positive difference,” concludes Mamogale.
