PERSONALITY XXX PROFILE
Lieutenant Colonel Marli Strydom In conversation with Lieutenant Colonel Marli Strydom, tireless crusader for the bruised and battered victims of gender-based violence (GBV).
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egarded by many as a ‘mother to the motherless’, Lieutenant Colonel Marli Strydom has been with the South African Police Service (SAPS) for almost 30 years. She has served as the Unit Commander for the FCS (Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences) Unit in Galeshewe, near Kimberley, in the Northern Province since 2018, securing more than 20 life sentences and 1,581 years imprisonment for GBV (gender-based violence) perpetrators, and was recognised by Minister of Public Service and Administration, Senzo Mchunu as second runner-up in the ‘Best Operational Employee’ category in the National Batho Pele Excellence Awards in 2020. Her unflagging dedication to ‘bruised, battered and emotionally-scarred GBV victims’ has seen her provide muchneeded closure for families over the years, including that of two-year-old
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SECURITY FOCUS AFRICA MARCH 2022
Michaila Springbok, who was kidnapped, raped, and then strangled to death in 2019. Her badly mutilated body was found in the Vaal River in Delportshoop after a frantic search by police and the community, says Marli, who spent sleepless nights leading the tracing operation, providing the family with up-to-date information on the progress of the search party, and supporting, comforting, and facilitating counselling sessions for them. In March 2020, the killer, Johannes Morwe, who was known to the family, was convicted, and sentenced to two life sentences as well as an additional 21 years imprisonment by the Kimberley High Court. Despite the many harrowing cases in which she’s been involved, Marli’s commitment to serving the community with ‘respect, empathy, and integrity; and ensuring that victims receive accurate information and stay well-informed of the status of their cases’, keeps her positive.
Growing up Born and raised in Barkly West in the Northern Cape, Marli is the eldest of five daughters. “We were known as the Holtzhausen Clan, she laughs, noting the freedom that she and her siblings enjoyed growing up. “We could walk to the swimming pool and spend the whole day there without being afraid of being hurt. We could be children, without any worries,” she adds on a more sombre note. Her mom insisted that all her girls participate in team sports, and wouldn’t take no for an answer. Luckily Marli loved sport, and by the age of five, she was swimming in galas. She went on to play netball, korfball (softball) and tennis, and participate in biathlons. Another of her great loves was – and still is – reading. “Nothing is better than the smell of a new book,” she recalls. As an adult, she represented the Northern Cape in netball, biathlon, and
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