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GEBED VIR AUGUSTUS
Via Sarie van Niekerk
Hemelse Leidsman
Lei my deur u Liefde in hierdie maand.
Ek wil so graag onvoorwaardelik glo –
Soos Abraham en Henog, soos Moses
En elkeen in Hebreërs 11 se heldegalery.
Maar ek is baiemaal soos Tomas, wat eers wil voel en sien.
My geloof is dikwels beperk tot wat ek gewaar word.
Deur my vingerpunte en my oë.
Ek wil so graag die onsienlike glo en stilweg bely:
My Here en my God!”
Lei my deur u Gees tot ‘n eerlike en praktiese geloof
Wat my onlosmaaklik aan Jesus Christus sal bind.
Ek wil so graag die hoop ongeskonde in my hart bewaar:
Die verwagting dat al die ideale van my hart
Verwesenlik sal word;
Dat my geestelike lewe sal groei in liefde, kennis en
Waarheid sodat ek die regte keuses kan maak.
Hou ‘n gees van optimisme brandend in my hart.
Ek wil so graag liefhê, Here.
Ek wil met eerlikheid vir U kan sê: “Here, U weet alles, U weet dat ek U liefhet!”
Ek wil my medemens liefhê met ‘n opregte, onselfsugtige
Liefde wat alle skeidsmure afbreek
En versoening ‘n werklikheid maak.
Lei my in Augustus tot ‘n nuwe begrip van geloof, hoop en Liefde - Amen
Uit: Op vlerke van geloof. Die Kroon op 15 jaar se skryfwerk. Solly Ozrovech
Past. Koot Swanepoel.
Efesiërs 1:19 NLV
“.. Mag julle insien hoe enorm groot die krag is wat God gebruik in ons wat glo. Dieselfde magtige sterkte was ook aan die werk toe God Christus uit die dood opgewek het..”
Soos 'n trotse ouer, hou ons hemelse Vader daarvan wanneer ons onmoontlike dinge deur sy krag en tot sy eer doen. Wanneer jy in totale afhanklikheid van Sy krag leef, sal jy dinge doen wat andersins nie gedoen kan word nie. Wanneer jy daaroor dink, vanuit onsself, is ons nie in staat om
God lief te hê nie. Ons kan nie liefde vir Hom versin nie. Ons kan net op Sy liefde vir ons reageer. Hierdie wete maak ons vry.
Godsdiens fokus daarop om dinge vir God te doen. Ware Christenskap is egter om dit wat Christus vir ons aan die kruis gedoen het, te ontvang. Wat ons vir God doen, is 'n weerkaatsing en 'n reaksie op dit wat Hy vir ons gedoen het. Ons almal hou van wonderwerke; ons hou net nie daarvan om in 'n situasie te wees waarin ons een nodig het nie.
As jy met Sy Gees gevul wil word, tree in 'n situasie wat Sy krag benodig. Streef 'n Godgegewe droom wat jy nie in jou eie krag en wysheid kan vervul nie, na. Dis hoekom Paulus skryf: 'Mag God julle harte so verlig dat julle sal insien watter wonderlike vooruitsig Sy roeping inhou. Mag julle insien hoe enorm groot die krag is wat God gebruik in ons wat glo. Dieselfde magtige sterkte was ook aan die werk toe God Christus uit die dood opgewek het en Hom in die Hemel aan Sy regterhand laat sit het' (verse 18-20 NLV). Vandag wil God hê dat jy sy enorme groot krag in jou lewe moet ervaar
VOORWOORD: Sarie van Niekerk. Redakteur Vroue. Hierdie jaar is regtig besig om vir my weg te hardloop! Ek kan nie glo ons staan al weer feitlik aan die einde van Augustus nie. Die lente begin al vir ons om die hoek uitloer en ek moet sê ons het darem regtig hier in die noorde deesdae heerlike dat vir wat veronderstel is om een van die koudste maande van die winter te wees.
Ek vertrou dit gaan nog goed met julle almal en dat julle, soos ek, ook al besig is om al wat ‘n kas uit te pak om die einde van die winter aan te kondig. Dit is mos wat ons vroue doen. Ons het weer hierdie maand ‘n klompie heerlike stories. Ons voorblad foto behoort aan Madalize Douglas. Sy moes vroeër vanjaar letterlik tussen verwoestende veldbrande met haar twee honde en ‘n paar ander broodnodige goedjies uit haar huis vlug en elders gaan skuiling soek waar sy toe in elkegeval deur die vlamme vasgekeer is. Nadat die veldbrande in Pringlebaai geblus is, moes sy sien dat hulle gesin se huis tot op die grond afgebrand is. Dankie Madalize dat jy jou storie met ons gedeel het.
Julle sal merk dat ons hierdie maan hoofsaaklik gekonsentreer het op foto’s oor ons eie vroue. Augustus is Vrouemaand. Dankie aan almal wat julle ongelooflike stories met ons gedeel het. Dit is altyd lekker om te deel in die lief en leed van ons kollegas. Ek weet daar is nog baie van julle dames wat nog met ongelooflike stories in julle koppe rondloop. Gaan sit asseblief en vertel daardie stories aan ons om in Nongqai te deel. Onthou net, almal wat die Nongqai lees, dit gaan nie net oor stories en lewensverhale en ervaringe van dames in die polisie nie, afgetree, die wat bedank het nie maar ook oor alle vroue in enige van die Magte. So asseblief enigiemand wat ‘n interessante dame ken uit een van die ander Magte, gesels met haar en skryf haar storie of stuur haar kontak besonderhede vir my ek sal graag met hulle wil gesels.
Ons voorblad foto die maand is ‘n skildery wat iemand wat regtig ‘n geweldige groot rol al in my lewe gespeel het, geskilder het. Baie dankie aan Dawn Kellerman. Dawn was saam met my deel van die eerste groep dames wat in 1972 in die kollege opgelei is. Dawn, hierdie skildery sal altyd ‘n ere plek in my huis hê. Baie dankie hiervoor!!
Al wat oorbly vir my, is om vir julle almal te sê wees veilig, bly gesond en geniet elke dag wat aan julle gegun word. Onthou gister is verby, more moet nog kom maar aandag is ons dag om die beste daarvan te maak in die naam van Jesus Christus.
Aan die manne wat elke maand ons blad lees, dankie vir julle ondersteuning. Ek hoop julle geniet Nongqai vir vroue. Manne is julle is ook welkom om vir my stories, of kontak besonderhede van vroue wat julle ken in enigeen van die Magte. Ek hoor graag van julle. Aan julle ook, geniet elke dag wat aan julle geskenk word. SHALOM!!!
WAT MAAK VROUE UNIEK?
Isabel Kruger.
“My nooi is in ‘n nartjie, my ouma is in kaneel. Daar is iemand in anys, daar’s ‘n vrou in elke geur. “
Dit plaas die kroon op vrouwees want daar is nie nog ‘n ander vrou soos jy.
Ouma was uniek, altyd geklee in sykouse en die mooiste pakkies. Die hare was elke week gedoen by tannie Miem se salon wat onder in die straat was. Ek kon ure luister na al die stories en later jare besef dat as jy wil weet wat gaan in die dorp aan moet jy inge”tap” wees by die salon. Indien jy onseker was wat in jou eie lewe aangaan, sou dit ook die goue oomblik wees om ‘n draai by die salon te maak.
Gedagtes in jou binneste oor jou lewe is vas gewortel en laat die besef dat jou grootword en unieke deel van vrouwees, onlosmaaklik deel word van jou asemhaling.
Ons bou karakter en het elkeen êrens ook deur die “Musk” parfuum gewerk en pienk pilletjies wat uit oupa se baadjiesak kom, in die kerk geëet.
Die lewe bring vir ons die wysheid dat seer, die mooi en die onverwagse, elke vrou druk om haar self te vorm. Vrouwees is nie dit wat ons aantrek, maar styl is in die manier wat elke vrou reageer wanneer haar naam genoem word.
Ons is in vrouemaand en daarom belangrik dat elkeen besef dat jy net jouself moet wees. Die eerste treë in die oggend is die belangrikste, want in jou onderbewussyn is daar reeds besluit hoe jy gaan optree. Dit is ook ‘n ongeskrewe reël dat die dag gewoonlik die teenoorgestelde uitdraai as wat ons voor gevra het. Ek moes al by meer as een geleentheid ‘n oomblik gaan stilstaan om te herbesin. Die verwronge deel van bestaan moet nie die oorsaak wees dat jou vrouwees in die donker by die agterdeur uitstap.
Vrouwees is om te weet dat ek uniek geskape is in God se oë. Dat ek kosbaar is te midde van storms wat hoog teen die boot vasslaan. Jy is jou eie hawe meester. Kies elke dag die boot wat eerste moet inkom en aflaai. Die res kan wag totdat dit vir jou as vrou en as ma geleë is om te hanteer. Soms vinniger as wat ons dink, maar die keer nie sonder die vaste vertroue dat ek as vrou, uniek geskape is deur God, ook my eie stempel kan afdruk op mense om my.
EK VLUG VIR VEILIGHEID
MET ‘N VLAMMEHEL OM MY.
Maralize Douglas. Ek deel graag my storie
Maralize Douglas
Ek is op 10 Julie 1990 ingesweer te Kleinmond deur my pa, AO I.P. le Roux, na my kollege opleiding is ek terug geplaas Kleinmond toe, en vandaar het ek by verskeie stasies gewerk. Stellenbosch, Melkbosstrand, Pinelands, weer Kleinmond, Seegrens -eenheid Simonstad, Seegrenseenheid Saldanha, Doringbaai, en toe terug Kleinmond toe
Gedurende my tyd by Seegrens Simonstad, het ek ook dienste verrig by OPS Neptune (anti-mariene stropings OPS). Dit is ook daar waar ek my man ontmoet het, wat daardie tyd verbonde was by Departement Seevisserye. Ons is in 2002 getroud. Gedurende 2007 het hy bedank by Departement Seevisserye, en ‘n werk as ‘n privaat natuurbewaarder aanvaar, op ‘n privaat natuurreservaat te Hangklip, Pringlebaai. Ek was daardie tyd nog op kraamverlof, en na my kraamverlof weer by Kleinmond dienste verrig, waar ek daardie jaar, Oktober bedank het.
My vlammehel 29 Januarie 2024
Dit was ‘n vreeslike winderige dag. Ek het my dogter na die dorp gebring, so ongeveer 13:30, terug gery na kleinhoewe. My man (Frank) het net na 14:00 'n oproep vanaf die reservis brandweerhoof gekry, om te sê dit brand by Hangklip Hotel, so 2km van ons af. Ek het my man by die hotel gaan aflaai, hy het nog aan my gesê, "pak asseblief ons boks met dokumente in die kar". Die noordwes wind het storm sterk gewaai. Ek het my man gegroet en terug gery huis toe
Ek het die boks met dokumente in my kar gelaai, net vir ingeval.
Uitgebrande murasies en massas rook wat die lug intrek is die stille getuienis van die skrikwekkende brand wat deur Pringlebaai getrek het.
Van ons huis af kon ek sien dat die brand buite beheer is. Ek het toe na ons hoofhek gery, met die doel om hom oop te skuif, sodat noodvoertuie daar kan deurkom, en dat niemand my man hoef te bel, om die hek oop te maak nie. Die hoofhek is so 700m vanaf ons huis, soos die kraai vlieg. Soos wat ek die hoofhek genader het, het ek die vlamme sien opstaan aan die regterkant van die hek. Ek kon nie my man of die brandweerhoof bel nie, want hul beantwoord nie oproepe as hul op die vuurlyn is nie.
Ek het die brandweerhoof se vrou, Dimmie gebel, en net vir haar gesê dit brand op Sea Farm, en ek gaan ontruim, dit het alles in 'n kwessie van sekondes gebeur, ek is terug na ons huis, ons twee honde en papegaai in die kar gesit, die gasbottels gaan ontkoppel, en soos blits deur die huis gehardloop om ‘n paar goed te vat. Ek het die laptop, my dogter se skoolboeke, haar tablet, my seun se "drawing board", my man se medikasie en my Bybel gevat. Ek het op daai stadium besef dat ek nie uit Sea Farm sou kon uitkom nie, en dat ek na die punt van Sea Farm sou moes gaan. Ek het sleutels in my kar gehad van een van die huise op die punt.
Terwyl ek ontruim het, het ek drie oproepe gemaak, ek het die direkteur van Sea Farm in kennis gestel dat dit brand, die eienaar van die huis, om toestemming te kry om daar te gaan skuil, en die omie wat altyd ons gas bring, om te vra hoe ek die bottels moet ontkoppel. Dit is ongeveer so 1.8km wat ek moes ry na huis nommer sewe (my "veilige" huis) , die eienaar van huis nommer ses was ook by sy woning. Hy het my gebel, toe ek net wegry van ons huis af, ek moet hier meld, die sein op daardie grondpaadtjie is ongelooflik sleg Dr Martin het ‘n WhatsApp oproep na my gemaak, en die heeltyd met my gepraat, tot ek veilig by huis nommer sewe aangekom het, NIE EEN KEER HET
EK SEIN VERLOOR NIE.
Tydens my rit het dit pikswart om my geraak van die rook, so erg, dat ek my kar se ligte moes aansit.
Vanaf huis nommer sewe kon ek nie ons huis sien nie, aangesien die huis se blindings nie kon oop nie, die krag was af. Ek het in die vierkant by nommer sewe gestaan, en skielik vlamme gesien, omtrent so 300/400m voor die huis. Ek het maar die "firehose" oopgedraai en die pyp buite die huis se hek laat loop, min wetende dat dit Sea Farm se laaste water is.
Op daai stadium het ons reservis brandweer manne nog nie geweet dat dit op Sea Farm brand nie.
Ek het wel ‘n lid van Law Enforcement in die hande gekry, en vir hom gesê ons is ses mense, wat vasgekeer is op Sea Farm. Binne ‘n paar minute het ek die "spotter" vliegtuig gesien, en besef dat die brandweer nou bewus sal wees dat dit op Sea Farm brand. Omtrent vyf minute later (wat soos ‘n ewigheid gevoel het) het ek die mooiste geluid gehoor....CHOPPERS ! Twee van hulle! Wat die vlamme voor nommer ses en sewe kom blus het!
Ek was deurgaans taamlik kalm, maar by tye ook paniekbevange.
Die ruïnes van wat Maralize en Frank se huis wat deur die verwoestende brand Pringlebaai se Sea Farm getrek het. Enkele ure van te vore het sy net haar honde en ander diere en ‘n paar noodsaaklike goedjies gegryp en voor die lekkende vlamme uitgevlug.
Nadat die choppers die vlamme kom blus het, het ek in die huis se motorhuis gaan sit en deur my WhatsApp’s gegaan, en tot my skok ‘n foto van ons huis gesien, afgebrand tot op die grond! Daardie emosies en skok kan ek nie beskryf nie! Ek het egter geweet ek moet my emosies onder beheer kry, want ek moes my kinders laat weet. Hulle was beide in die dorp. Net na ek die foto gesien het, het my man my gebel, die persoon wat die foto geneem het, het hom gaan sê. My man het nog op die vuurlyn gebly, en ek het my kinders en familie laat weet.
‘n Verslae en uitgeputte vrywillige brandbestryder, neem ‘n blaaskansie met die smeulende brande in die agtergrond.
Ek het die volgende oggend 04:00 my man weer gesien, vuil, vol roet, in sy brandweer uniform, en besef dis al klere wat hy het. Sy uniform en ‘n onderbroek. Om 08:00 is my man weer uit, terug na die vuurlyn. Ek het net voor 09:00 uitgery, en by ons huis gaan stop. Dit het op plekke nog gesmeul. Dit het my gebreek! Die besef van ons het alles verloor, maar die ergste was die sentimentele goed wat ons verloor het.
Maralize, haar man Frank en die hond wat sy inderhaas in die motor gedruk het voordat sy van die huis gevlug het met die lekkende vlamme wat haar vasgekeer het. En toe begin die wonderwerke! 'n Amateur fotograaf het die vorige dag ‘n foto van my man geneem, net nadat my man die nuus ontvang het, van ons huis wat afgebrand het, en dit op Facebook geplaas. 'n Jarelange vriendin het onmiddellik ‘n donasie veldtog geloods, om fondse en donasies vir ons te kry. Dit wat ons verloor het, het ons drievoudig terug gekry. 'n Ander vriend het sy huis vir ons beskikbaar gestel in die dorp. Van regoor die wêreld het mense hul harte en beursies vir ons oopgemaak.
Die gesin se twee honde was die eerste wat sy gegryp en in die motor ingedruk het.
Ek het omtrent vir ‘n week net op adrenalien geleef, en toe skop die skok in! Ongeloof, hartseer, dit het partykeer gevoel ek wil die berge invlug en net gil! Ek kon nie eet nie, ek kon nie slaap nie. Gelukkig het ons buurman, op die kleinhoewes uitgereik na ons vir berading. Hy was n polisie kapelaan, Dr George Roux.
Ek is met PTSD gediagnoseer, en later depressie, waarvoor ek behandeling ontvang.
Ek is egter baie dankbaar dat ons almal veilig is !
Die tydlyn van wanneer ek my man by die vuurlyn afgelaai het, en tot ek veilig by nommer sewe aangekom het, was ongeveer 45 min. Ek het later verneem, dat ons huis afgebrand het, terwyl ek afgery het na nommer sewe
29 Januarie 2024 sal vir ewig vasgevang wees in my brein, nie net die sleg nie, maar ook die Here se Genade, en SY hand van veiligheid oor my, my man, ons kinders en diere
Vriendelike groete
Maralize Douglas
KAPT. RONELLE ALBERTS: COMBAT RIFLE KAMPIOENSKAPPE
Ronelle Alberts
Hi Sarie
Ronelle Alberts, die beste vroue Combat Schooting in die SuidAfrikaanse Polisie.
Ek is nie so goed met skryf nie, so jy moet my maar leiding gee asseblief. Jy weet mos ook ons in die polisie mag nie met die media praat indien ons nie toestemming het van ons kommunikasie afdeling nie.
So as jy my kan bel of whatsapp dan kan ons gesels. Ek is ‘n kaptein op D-skof by Worcester polisiestasie, waar ek die operasionele bevelvoerder is
Net so vinnige agtergrond. Ek het in 2022 my Proteakleure verwerf en vandat Combat Rifle bestaan was ek die vierde vrou in die geskiedenis wat dit gemaak het tot Protea vlak.
Hierdie jaar het die bestuur besluit om die vrouens aan te moedig en ‘n vrouespan te maak soos in die ander sporte en daar is toe drie ander vroue gekies vir die Protea-span waarvan nog een ‘n polisielid is,A/O Narinda Wiid van die Noord Kaap Die vorige jaar het ek nie aan die Suid-Afrikaanse Combat Rifle deelgeneem nie, weens my skoonma wat ‘n breinoperasie gehad het in die Kaap. Ek moes haar gereeld gaan besoek, want sy was nog nie buite gevaar nie. My man neem ook deel aan Combat Rifle en hy het op daardie stadium weer vir die tweede keer deur behandeling gegaan vir kolonkanker en die skietkompetisie was iets wat hom positief gehou het. Dis waarom ek gesê het hy moet gaan, want ek het klaar my Protea-kleure en hy werk nog daarvoor.
Die vroeg in Februarie 2024 is ek gediagnoseer met fase twee borskanker. Na al die toetse het dit darem neergekom op nie so aggressiewe borskanker nie. Ek moes net hormoonblokker pille drink en elke drie maande ‘n hormoonblokker inspuiting kry omdat my kanker hormonaal aangedrewe is. Ek het Junie maand ‘n operasie ondergaan in my linkerbors waar hulle die kanker uitgesny het en ook twee kliere onder my arm. Ek het einde Julie 2024, vyf bestalings deurloop en ‘n dag daarna Bloemfontein toe vertrek na die Combat Rifle kompetiesie. Op 3 Augustus was die Vrystaatkampioenskappe ook in Bloemfontein en het ek eerste plek verwerf in die afdeling vir vroue. Die SA Combat Rifle het op 5 Augustus begin en het tot 10 Augustus geduur,
Ronelle Alberts in aksie
Die eerste drie dae van die kompetisie se punte word dan ook gebruik om die polisie SA Kampieonskappe te bepaal. So dit is eintlik twee Suid-Afrikaanse kompetisies in een. Ek is dus ook aangewys as die Suid-Afrikaanse vroue kampioen vir die polisie. Ek het nie verwag om die jaar so goed te doen nie, omdat ek net een keer ‘n liga gaan skiet het en ook nie regtig fiks was nie, weens die kankeroperasie en bestraling waardeur ek is, maar het gesê ek gaan dit doen en wil nie verder uitsit en uit mis op die lewe en dit waarvoor ek lief is nie.
2024 se span foto.
Ek was maar baie moeg, want die bestraling het nog ‘n effek vir ongeveer 10 dae na die behandeling en my laaste een was op 20 Julie 2024.
Ons was die jaar ongeveer 181 skuts wat deelgeneem het aan die Combat Rifle Suid-Afrikaanse kampioenskappe. Dit bestaan uit polisielede, weermaglede, korrektiewe dienste en ook lede van privaat klubs. Lede van Nederland, Lesotho en Nieu Seeland was ook teenwoordig.
Dit is regtig ‘n belewenis wat jy nie in woorde kan beskryf nie om al die lede elke jaar weer te sien Van die hele land se provinsies en ook die lede van die buite land wat jaarliks terugkeer om weer
deel te neem. Ek skiet die jaar al vir 20 jaar, so dit is ‘n sport waarin jy jaarliks groei en nie net van die begin af daar bo eindig nie, so dit was vir my ‘n ervaring van ‘n leeftyd om in 2022 my Proteakleure te verwerf. Dit is altyd ‘n baie emosionele oomblik om te hoor hoe jou naam uitgeroep word om ‘n Protea-span te verteenwoordig. Dié jaar het ek dan nou die eer gehad om in ‘n vroue span met vier Protea-skuts, die eerste keer in die geskiedenis van Combat Rifle te kon skiet en ons het as span die goue medalje los geskiet teen ‘n span van Lesotho en Nederland.
Ek was baie moeg en het party dae maar bietjie swaar getrek op die skietbaan en het ook ‘n uitdaging gehad met my teleskoop wat gebreek het, maar ek het net gesê ek is nou hier en gaan die beste maak daarvan en alles was die moeite werk. Dit is deur God se genade dat ek die sport kan beoefen en solank ek kan sal ek my beste gee.
Ronelle by al haar medaljes wat sy in 2024 by die kampioenskappe verower het.
Ek het nou baie gepraat, maar jy kan my maar bel en whatsapp met nog vra. Moet net asseblief deur die kommunikasie kantoor werk vir media blootstelling.
I WAS THE FIRST WOMAN CHAPLAIN IN GAUTENG
Past. (dr.) Charisse le Roux (neé Cherry) Retired
My name is Charisse Le Roux (neè Cherry), a retired South African Police Chaplain (LieutenantColonel). I started to work in the S A Police Force in 1987, September 28 and retired in 2017, December 31.
Charisse Le Roux
Just to give you some background of myself, my father was an Aeronautical (Supervisor) Engineer for South African Airways. He was based in East London, Eastern Cape. At the time previously called the Ben Schoeman Airport. He often had to travel with his family around the world. He worked in Rome, Italy (from 1960). My mom was pregnant at the time, and they decided to go to England, Middlesex for my mom to give birth. The reason was, that if she had a boy, he would have to do military training in Italy. That is where I was born,Ashford, Middlesex, in England.
Nine days later the family flew back to Italy.
We also stayed in Angola, the capital Luanda, for 5 years. My sister and I attended a Portuguese school (Escôla Englêsa de Luanda) until I was in Standard 5, when we returned to East London, South Africa.
I was more fluent in Portuguese than in our language, Afrikaans from our country, South Africa.
This is my story:
I am just an ordinary woman, called to do an extraordinary task, mother of three children, and married to a Police Officer from Beacon Bay police station, East London. My husband applied in 1987 to be transferred as the Station-Commander to a small five-man police station called ‘Gubenxa’, which is stationed in between Elliot and Ugie, which is in the Eastern Cape. It was situated on the old Transkei border. I resigned from my work and joined the Police Force in 1987 as an Administration Clerk in order to help my husband with the administration of the police station. We worked amongst the sheep and cattle farmers and the Xhosa village people in the area. We gained a lot of experience away from the city lights, and found ourselves building good relationships with the farmers, listening to their challenges during droughts, loss of crops and mostly crime of stock theft.
In those years we still had the old telephone system to be able to communicate between the police station and the farmers. With two short rings and two long rings, we would know that was our call to the ‘Gubenxa Police Station.’
My son was born in Elliot hospital in July of 1988. I was very fortunate to bring him up in a peaceful farming community. We were able to grow our own fresh vegetables, planted fruit trees, had a few hens that laid eggs and some cows which gave us fresh milk for the day.
Can I ever forget those ‘two short rings and two long rings’, at 02:45 the early hours of one morning! It was a call from a police officer of the Ugie Police Station telling us that two of his police members on duty had just been shot at in their police vehicle by 8 ‘terrorists’ in two vehicles and were on their way to Gubenxa police station.
At that stage our police vehicle had been taken in for repairs. We did not have electricity, instead an old petrol engine we used in the evening, until the petrol ran out! So, if one could imagine, it was 15 minutes from Ugie to where we stayed. I planned an escape route if I had to move quickly, with my new born baby and 4-year-old daughter through the wire fence along the border towards the farming neighbour’s way in the distance. My husband managed to make his way to the barracks where the police officers stayed. The one police officer was under the influence of alcohol and the other police officer was not there.
I was absolutely petrified and did not know if would still be alive if they attacked the police station. There was no security or even an entry gate, just a dusty old road over a hillside, with a small sign board, “Gubenxa Police Station.” I prayed that God would protect us.
Within half an hour we saw lights coming over the hill, knocking on the door, face to face with balaclavas and fire arms. It was Elliot police officers. By 06:00 that morning, our Head Office, Queenstown officers arrived and brought us a vehicle to use. It took 18 months for the Police Station to be fully secured and have electricity. God had greater plans for us. We moved back to East London at the beginning of 1991.
Yet, deep down inside my innermost being there was a deep desire within me to work full time for the Lord. One night I had a dream. I dreamt I saw myself in a church with my entire family seated in the back row. A lady that I knew from our church walked up to me and gave me a piece of paper with a scripture written on it, Psalm 37:4-6.
I instantly woke up, reached out for my Bible, and this is what it read...Psalm 37:4-6, “Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord, Trust also in Him, And He shall bring it to pass.”
I just felt the power of the Holy Spirit come upon me. Something had been birthed deep down inside of me. I clung onto God’s Word and thanked Him for his promises. The expectancy within my spirit just grew stronger and stronger.
Past. (dr.) Charisse le Roux
I knew there was something far beyond my expectations and had to react in faith. I applied for various working opportunities outside of the S A Police Force, but every time the door was closed. Little did I realise that the Lord was preparing me for the very place where he had placed me, in the SA Police. I had such a passion for the broken and hurting within in the police. These men and women in blue had to work long and difficult shifts, between the barbwire fence, not able to have a normal family life and struggling to find a balance even within their own lives. I can clearly remember one afternoon, at that time I was stationed at the Radio Technical Branch in East London, and as I finished work and walked to my car, I noticed a piece of paper stuck under the windscreen wiper. I took the piece of paper and unfolded it. I read it, these were the words written on it, ...’Please help me! I’m going to commit suicide; I’ll be at the beach.... (He wrote his name) This became more and more frequent as police officers came to me for advice and counselling. While in prayer one day, I was speaking to the Lord, “Lord, you called me into full time ministry in the Police, but I do not have the qualifications to become a Police Chaplain!” Now to qualify as a Police Chaplain, one needs to be an Ordained Minister in a wellrecognised congregation of at least 500 membership and to be in a good standing within the church leadership. To have at least a 3-year Diploma or a Degree in Theology. I just couldn’t understand how this could be possible for me to achieve. The Lord answered, and said; “My precious daughter, I have made everything possible for you for a destined time, trust Me.”
During the waiting period, I started studying a 3 Year Diploma in Ministry. I became very involved in the church. I spoke to the Reverend of local church where I served and was able to share my heart and the direction that the Lord was leading me into. He recognized my calling and I was ordained as a Pastor in 1997-02-01. It was now time for me to apply in faith for a post as a ‘Chaplain’ in the Police Force.
Two months later I was appointed as a Police Chaplain. This period of waiting took almost seven years preparation. Unfortunately, there was no Chaplains’ post for me in East London and was transferred to Springs in the East Rand, Gauteng. Everything worked out just as the Lord had wanted it for us as a family. We were very fortunate to still be given a Chaplains house, and on that very same road my children attended Selcourt Primary School. My husbands’ and my office were in the
same building, which was the Nongqai Building in the city centre only a few kilometres from the house. We stayed in Springs for 5 years. My husband worked then in the ‘Gold and Diamond Specialised Unit as a Detective.
I was the first woman Chaplain to work in the Gauteng Province. I was placed in the deep end in the East Rand area with high crime rate and very high suicide rate amongst police members and their families.
The experiences and work I performed, the places I had to travel, through the villages, early hours of the morning to give a death message to the family of a police officer that had been shot and murdered or even committed suicide; places where only the angels fear to tread.
Psalm 144:1-2, “The Lord trained my hands for war; my fingers for battle. He is my loving God and my fortress, my stronghold and my deliverer, my shield, in whom I take refuge.”
Here are a few short accounts of trauma incidences that I have had to attend and deal with on my own.
On 1998-09-18 I was called out to an incident in which an Officer X, a Captain had assaulted his wife with a crowbar and attempted to kill her. He left her for dead and faked the scene to look as if it was a break in. When I arrived at the Springs Medi-Clinic Hospital, I was horrified to see her head split in half with an eye hanging on each side of her face. This was a horrific and traumatic incident. What drives a person to do this? I continued counselling and supporting his wife. Her life was spared by the grace of God.
On another occasion I was called out to a suicide incident where upon arrival I learnt that it was the wife of the Station Commissioner of a certain station. She had shot herself in the head with his service firearm. The body was still lying in their bedroom. I had to deal with the members on the scene, some were just weeping with unbelief and traumatized. The Station Commissioner and I walked into the room together where his wife was lying with her brains which were splattered on the wall and on the carpet. We had to try clean up the bedroom as her daughter was on her way to the house and at that stage, she did not know that her mother was dead. We managed to get someone in with a carpet cleaneras the bedroom carpet was a ‘shaggyand fluffy’. I was extremely traumatized from this and was never offered any form of debriefing or support. We had to deal with it ourselves.
Charisse le Roux saam met ‘n kollega.
On another occasion I was called to a suicide at Devon Police Station. This Sergeant committed suicide sitting in the charge office with his own service pistol. I had to deal with the traumatized police members who were on duty with him. This Sergeant stayed next to the police station, and I had to give the death message to his wife who was then eight months pregnant.
I can still clearly remember, while supporting and comforting her, just outside of their house, she wanted to go into the Charge Office and see what happened as she did not believe it. I realised that she was still in shock. She told me that only a half an hour ago, her husband had come home to get some sandwiches to eat and returned to his work. There was only a high fence between their house and the Police Station. Suddenly, she grabbed hold of the fence and tried to climb up in attempt to see her husband. We managed to call the family and arranged that evening to take her to the hospital for observation and trauma support. This was one of the saddest times I can remember. I remember vividly every scene, the smells, and the peoples’ faces that I have had to deal with. I had to be strong for others and could only do this after hours when no one else would be affected.
On many occasions I feared for my life while doing my duty in the townships of the East Rand. I continued doing my duty as I know that my reward will be in heaven one day. I have a calling on my life to ease the pain and bring comfort to police officers and their families as far as possible.
Then I had my own personal trauma when my husband had to go off medically unfit from the South African Police Service due to Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. I had to cope dealing with him and my family while he was in and out of hospitals and clinics. It was extremely difficult for me while he was on medication and had to cope with him at home and seeing to my children and their needs. In addition to this my own working environment, working on standby, the only support coming from my congregation. I was so grateful for that.
The unit that my husband worked in gave us absolutely no support what so ever and his firearm was not even asked to be handed in even after he had given a psychiatrists’ letter stating that he was suffering from “Severe Post Traumatic Stress Disorder”. I feared to go home as to what was going
on home behind my four walls. He was a walking time bomb, the signs were written on the wall for a long time, how long does one continue like this?
No-one could believe this as they never knew this side of him, he lived two completely different lives, one at work and one at home. Only shortly before his medical board came through as many documents had to be signed “Medically boarded due to on duty” his fire-arm was handed back. It put me under severe stress at home at to what he was capable of doing to himself and his family in his condition. He was a good man, disciplined and took his job very seriously, a proud policeman, loved his children and his wife, but the stressors became too much. At the young age of 16 my husband joined the South African Police Force, at the age of 17 years old he was sent to Koevoet for two years. When I met him at the age of 21 years old, he had already been three times to the border. After that he then volunteered to do Border Duties, he had become conditioned, it become part of the “calling.” Ovamboland, Pafuri, Ramathlabama, Ladybrand, South West Africa, Soweto Riots and so forth. The only counselling or debriefing they had in those years was the ‘canteen’, but one cannot suppress the trauma that they experience forever. He never ever shared about those days. My question is whatever happened to the members of Koevoet? It was not long ago when my husband tried to commit suicide by taking a large overdose of medication and mixtures of methylated spirits. His pain was too heavy to carry, he was very depressed and tired of life. He didn’t want to live anymore. I believe that God had sent me home that morning to save his life. He did not want to live but God in His mercy and grace spared him.
Debriefing Sunday afternoon Call out!
At the time I was staying in Paarl, it was a late Sunday afternoon at about 16:20 when I received a call whilst on Debriefing Standby. A Brigadier from the Special Operation Neptune, Cape Town phoned to say that one of his police officers’ shot himself in the SAPS vehicle while parked outside Gansbaai Police Station. These officers were despatched on ‘special duties’ in the area due to the stealing of ‘Perlemoen’ which is a serious crime. While parked outside the station, one police member had to stay in the vehicle as there were firearms and the rest of the platoon went into the police station where specific work had to be completed. One of the police officers walked back to the vehicle, opened the door to see that his colleague had shot himself in his head, whilst the firearm hanging from his hand. He turned around to call his colleagues as they too were on the way to the vehicle. They were numbed and shocked and thought at first it was a joke until they walked closer and could see for themselves. I was told that the police officer that had shot himself was taken to Hermanus Medi-Clinic where he lay in the Intensive Care Ward. I packed my ‘work diary’ in my bag, got into my Citi-Golf and drove off towards Gansbaai Police Station. From my home in Paarl to Gansbaai takes almost three and a half hours. I arrived early that evening, as I was met by the Station Commander who led me down the narrow passage into a small
room where the police members had gathered in shock and disarray. It was packed like ‘sardines’ in a tin. One could cut the atmosphere of total unbelief!
(In recent years, there has been much focus on the effects of traumatic events on individuals. Often, people have dramatic reactions to these extraordinary events that may leave them feeling overwhelmed and upset. When a significant crisis occurs, the individuals involved may benefit from an opportunity to talk about the experience as a group. For that reason, "trauma debriefings" have been promoted as a method to help healing and resolution.)
Debriefing is a meeting with one or more individuals who were exposed to trauma. The purpose is to review the impact of the trauma on these individuals and to help them to ventilate their feelings in a safe environment
People who talk through an incident eat better, sleep better, remain healthier, and stay on the job longer. Also, they have less disruption in their home life; the main task is to get people back on the job as quickly as possible and to allow them to be healthier and more satisfied with their lives.
I remember so clearly that day as I sit and recollect this story, the tenseness that I actually feel going through my body at this moment. While trying to pick up the pieces within the police officers sitting shoulder to shoulder. Unanswered questions, feelings of guilt, anger, sadness, shock and numbness, I tried to extract the feelings and emotions of what was going through their mind to get them to talk. Talking is healing and when one starts to tell their story, the pieces start to fall in place and so one picks up a golden thread. Hope arises and the healing begins.
The colleagues that worked with him and sat in the vehicle next to him that day, shared that they never recognized or picked up anything they thought was strange. Although the police officer that shot himself was Xhosa speaking and had been transferred from the Eastern Cape to Cape Town, one finds it sometimes difficult to communicate when the rest of the platoon colleagues speaks their home language which in the Cape isAfrikaans. No matter what or who, the ‘thin blue line’, the calling that is drawn to them and the blue badge that bonds them together. After a gruelling and traumatic two and a half hour debriefing session with the police members, I then knew I had to travel to Hermanus Medi-Clinic Hospital to visit their colleague. Something dropped in my spirit, I told all his platoon colleagues that was on shift with him to also head for the Medi-Clinic Hospital so we could go and pray. The Lord gave me a clear instruction, to get all his shift colleagues and take them with me into the Intensive Care Unit where their colleague was lying. They were to talk to him to bring love, comfort and healing. It is not something as a Chaplain would do in these circumstances with all respect.
We managed to all shuffle into the waiting room of the hospital, this time their Unit Commander of Operation Neptune, Cape Town was also present. The nursing staff treated us like royalty, with sandwiches and tea. In this time, I managed to speak with the doctor who was treating the police officer lying in Intensive Care. I was told that he was ‘brain dead’ and unfortunately there was nothing else they could do for him, for it was only a matter of days before they would have to remove the life support machines. I try to reason in my brain, I understand the clinical terms that he was on an artificial life support machine where his brain was no longer functioning, means that he will not regain consciousness or be able to breathe without support! A person who is brain dead is legally confirmed as dead. Brain death occurs when a person has an irreversible, catastrophic brain injury. I walked ahead and lead the way as all walked in single file and silence towards the Intensive Unit Ward to where their colleague was. As I got to the door I turned around and said to them, ‘Even if he has been declared brain dead, he is still with us, so do not tip toe around the bedside. Jesus has conquered death, there is nothing impossible for the Lord to do, let us talk to him and tell him how special he is, do not be afraid.’
We entered into the room and stood around his bedside as I allowed each one of his colleagues to have their turn to talk with him. It was such an ‘atmospheric moment’ as if there was a shift in the atmosphere of ‘intrinsic hope’. The peace, the comfort and joy broke forth for each one of us. We held hands, prayed in unity and declared life healing and God’s miracle over this colleague. The Holy Spirit was so tangible that no-one wanted to move, there was silence and such peace. Only God knows what took place in those moments as this was not a normal visit under these circumstances. I never doubted for one moment in the way the Lord led me to do this.
I left the Medi-Clinic Hospital and headed for home which was still two and a half hours away, it was now after midnight! I knew that the Lord had such a divine appointment with each one of us around the bedside, a ‘heavenly moment.’
We read in the book of Proverbs, chapter 18 verse 20 (NIV), ‘The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.’ There is so much power in the words we speak. When used properly the tongue can mend fences, heal broken hearts and encourage those who are in need of encouragement. God’s Word will accomplish His desires and purposes. When we speak the Word of God, we are tapping into limitless power!
Jesus said, “The words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life” (John 6:63). Speak His words, speak the Scriptures, because the word of God is life, Hebrew 4:12 affirms this:
“The word of God is living and active.” God’s words bring hope and life, as did Jesus’ spoken words to dead Lazarus.
I arrived at my home in Paarl at 03:15. At 06:00 that morning I received a message from the Unit Commander, Provincial Office, Cape Town, to thank me in the way I supported and comforted his platoon members at the hospital. More than that, the message read, ‘I spoke to the doctor this morning and he told me that there was movement in the legs of the police officer that was shot and life was coming back to his body’. ‘Oh Lord, you are so faithful’, as I wept with joy and delight. I received a letter of gratitude and appreciation from the Provincial Office, Cape Town. I continued to visit him at the hospital and pray for total healing. A few days later he was transferred from Hermanus Medi-Clinic to Somerset West Medi-Clinic. I continued to support and encourage him. It was only a few days later that this officer that was declared ‘brain dead’, was discharged and walked out of the hospital. The Lord had totally healed him not just physically but I was able to lead him to Christ as he received eternal life. This story makes every second of the day all worthwhile. Is it worth fighting for?
Whilst in my office in Germiston, I received a call from the Bedfordview Police Commander, explaining to me that a police officer who was dressed in civilian clothing, from his station had been shot and was taken to hospital. The police officer was in the Bedford View Shopping Mall in the bank at the teller drawing money. He then noticed that there were three men that walked into the bank with balaclavas on, who went straight to the Tellers and held them up by gunpoint. He had his firearm on him on the inside of his jacket. While the lives of the community and his own life was threatened, he started to shoot. There was a hail of bullets, backwards and forwards, with people lying flat on the floor. Some people hiding behind chairs, some people outside the bank and in the mall running in every direction possible.
I was told that two of the robbers managed to escape and headed for the ceiling of the complex. The third robber was shot at and died on the scene inside the bank. Within the cross fire, unfortunately the police officer was also shot at and was taken to the nearest hospital.
This is the background story of what had happened at the Bedfordview Mall thus far. I left my office in my unmarked police vehicle and headed for the mall to find out any more information before I went to the hospital. On arrival at the scene, it was already being cordoned off, and the Dog Unit had arrived to search for the robbers that were apparently hiding in the ceiling of the mall. Shops were closed and people were being evacuated as they continued their search. I was able to speak to the police officers on the scene and thanked them for putting their lives on the line, between the barbed wire-fence.
I left their and headed towards the hospital which wasn’t far from the Bedford View Mall. As a Police Chaplain we need to introduce ourselves to the nursing station and as to the reason, and the name of the police officer before to get permission to enter into the Intensive Care Unit.
In the distance of a long passage towards the ICU, I could see and hear two women, that sounded as if they were having an argument with raised voices. Walking closer the one woman held at what I could see a blood-stained shirt in her hand, while the other woman kept on trying to snatch it away. Thy were arguing as to who would and why they should get the blood-soaked shirt. This was happening right outside the ICU door. They continued arguing, in front of me. The Head Nurse met
Charisse the Chaplain in the South African Police.
me just before going to see the police officer and was informed that these two women that had been arguing were actually in fact, the ex-wife and the other woman, his girlfriend.
A few metres away lay the police officer fighting for his life! This just doesn’t make sense at all. I just didn’t have any words at that moment…., my voice was silenced. I mean the women involved in his life were fighting for his bloodied shirt in which he had worn!
I entered into the ward and saw the police officer lying there with all the life support machines and ventilator trying to help him breathe and save his life. I froze, my thoughts stopped, I felt numb, a silence within and without, an indescribable moment. I had been in those shoes and moment many times in my work as a Chaplain, standing at the bedside. In a low tone prayer, I thanked the Lord for his life, for the calling he chose, ‘to protect and serve’. ‘Lord, let your will be done.’ I stepped two steps back with tears running down my cheeks. I wiped the tears from my face, turned around and walked out of the ICU Ward. I was walking…. just walking and just before I walked past the Emergency Room, I heard someone calling me, ‘Chaplain, Chaplain’. I turned around and walked towards, I then recognised that it was the doctor I had seen at the police officer’s bedside. ‘I’m sorry, we couldn’t save him.’ I knew that God was in control and explained to her then the procedure from the SAPS Chaplains office side of what they could expect as to funeral arrangements and so forth. I thanked her and made my way out to the parking area to where my vehicle was parked. I opened the door and just sat for a few minutes and what seemed like slow motion headed back to my office to start the long list of administration and calls. How does one filter all of this?
There are so many arrangements and procedures that need to be seen to and done for a semimilitary funeral and also that it had taken place in Bedford View Mall which had involved the community. I visited the police officers’ parents and ex-wife in which they had two small boys. As a Police Chaplain when it comes to a funeral such as this one, we have to also include the local Minister in the church where the family decides to have the service and conduct the semi-military part.
What a mission as I think back, the ex-wife told me that she did not want the girlfriend at the funeral, which was not on my list that I had to sort out. So much tension and anger surrounded this all. I was handed a letter that was written by their two boys with the heading, ‘Dad, thank you for being our Hero!’. During the funeral I would have to read this letter, and to think that I was also married to a police officer and had children, this could so easily be me sitting in the church pew. I don’t know how I made it through the service, it was so moving and so painful. At the burial site where the coffin is lowered, just before a South African Flag is handed over to the next of kin and the Last Post is played and the coffin lowered. The wind was blowing slightly and all of a sudden it started raining softly. While the bugle was still playing, the little boys ran up to me as I stood at the one end of the graveside, pulling on my skirt, and said, ‘Is my daddy going to be warm
tonight?’ I waited for the end of the Last Post playing, bent down, took the little boys’ hands and held them tightly, tears streaming down my face, and said, ‘You will be ok’, just be strong for your Mommy.’ I spent some time with the family and police colleagues and eventually made my way back home to Springs. Sometimes we need to talk situations like this through with people in the same or similar calling. Not many people understand our thoughts and emotions but it is very important that we can ventilate to help prevent traumatization or even Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
What are you doing here; they will shoot you!
I was in my office in Springs, when I received a call from the Unit Commander of Tsakane, East Rand who told me that one of his Detective police officers had been shot and died by a suspect in his office at the Tsakane Police Station.
This Detective was apparently taking a statement from the accused suspect in a case who had come from Pretoria that morning. While the Detective was taking his statement, the ‘suspect’ took out a firearm from the inside of his jacket, held it at point blank range and shot in over the table from where he was sitting. The ‘suspect’shot the policeman twice before turning the gun on himself. The suspect died instantly.
There was no time and little chance to try and get through to a nearby police station and as for vehicle protection. I immediately responded and left for Tsakane Police Station in a white unmarked Mazda police vehicle.
On arrival at the police station the scene was already cordoned off and people from the community were already starting to gather around. The Detective Offices were separate from the Police Station, built at the back of the Station. Tsakane Police Station which was built on ‘open fields’, with no fencing wall around it. It really needed upgrading.
Tsakane is a township about 17kms from Springs where I was stationed in the East Rand. During my time of working in the East Rand this area of ‘Tsakane’ was called a, ‘red light area’, according the murders and shootings in the area. It was told to me that it was not safe to travel into Tsakane township without police protection.
While I was on the scene of the crime, I had to speak with the relevant people to obtain all the information I needed to contact the family. On finding out, I was told that the detective who was shot dead, his wife was travelling by train from Durban back to her home in the East Rand that day. It would still take at least an hour before she arrived at Germiston Train Station.
As news travels fast, unfortunately someone phoned and told her that her husband had been shot and died on duty. How untactful and cold! I wandered what went through her mind, was there someone on the train that could comfort her? All these questions running through my mind! I wandered if the police officers’ body and the suspect would be still on the scene where he they had been shot when his wife arrived, or would the mortuary vehicle be in time to remove the bodies away. Although the crime scene was closed off with police tape, the Photography Unit, the Forensic
Unit, etc, the work still had to be done and completed before the body could be removed and this takes time.
A person’s emotions and mind play havoc, your mind goes into shock, you try and reason. The wife would ask the question, ‘Can it be my husband, are they sure, there must be a mistake?’The thought of that she had spoken to her husband a few hours before she was going to see him, all was fine. She would have to see for herself. Shock and denial and unbelief starts to set in.
In the distance I could see that more cars were arriving at the scene, as I wandered, if one of them could be the wife. I then saw the Unit Commander of Tsakane walk towards the car helped her out the vehicle and then walked in my direction. I then started to walk towards them, I was introduced as to the wife of the deceased. I held and comforted her.
At that time the TV Media, Sowetan Newspaper Journalists, and other people were streaming in from all over to get coverage for the local news. We were now surrounded by quite a large group of people. A few metres away from me came an ‘African’ woman with beads around her head, and ankles. She had traditional clothing on and I noticed her throwing what seemed like old bones, stones and sticks on the ground. I was told that she was the mother of the suspect that turned the gun on himself. I was told that she was a ‘Songoma’ (a witch doctor) and believed she had the powers to remove any evil from what happened and that it would not come into her house. While still with the wife, one of the Social Workers that I know from the office of the SAPS, told me that I should not be there, as I was a white woman and that they will shoot me. As I said earlier on, it was a ‘red zone area’ meaning ‘not safe to drive through the village or to drive alone.’ I mean, this is what I was called to do. The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is one, because the LORD has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the LORDS’s favour and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion- to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. (Isaiah 61:13)
I knew that was the place I had to be and that the Lord would protect me. This was only the beginning of a long process of paper war that had to reach our Head Office the following morning by 08:00 with all the particulars of the incident. The following morning Debriefing sessions had to be arranged for the police officers that worked on the scene. There was an application for a ‘Semi-Military funeral and a Memorial Service needed to be arranged for the police officers and community combined. The following day a Memorial Service was held at the Community Hall alongside the Tsakane Police Station, there were many different speakers involved, including Union Representatives, Church Representatives, a Colleague Representative, the Unit Commander from Tsakane and also the Provincial Commissioner besides others. All dignitaries were seated on the stage, that included me
and our Youth Worker. The hall was packed to capacity. The Memorial Service started while the speakers began to talk one by one. All of a sudden, a short man ran onto the stage. The stage was quite high from where the people were seated below. He was dressed in ‘animal skin’ with a stick which also had some sort of animal’s tail hair in his hand. From my own perception looked like some of sort of ‘Songoma’ which is the Zulu word, as he performed some sort of a ritual and dance. This wend on for a few minutes in a language I could not understand.
My mouth was gaping I had never experienced or seen what happened in front of my eyes. All of a sudden, this man jumped off the stage and down onto the floor where the people were seated, ran up the isle and disappeared with a puff of smoke. I leaned over to the Youth Worker and asked her if she had seen what he had done. She was just as shocked and taken back. I will never forget what I saw for the rest of my life.
To start to explain what had taken place and even in detail to anyone was not going to be easy. This type of ‘thing’ sticks in your subconscious drawer, and if there is a trigger, this specific incident flashes and comes to mind in detail. You can replay, rewind this story, the ‘unexplainable stuff that happened that day’.
DIT WAS ‘N ABSOLUTE WOW OOMBLIK GEWEES!!
AO Narinda Wiid
My naam is Narinda Wiid. Gebore en groot geword op Hopetown in die Noord Kaap.
Ek het aangesluit by die polisie aan die einde van 1994 as reservis. Het vir agt jaar in die Kaap gewerk en het in Augustus 2003 teruggekeer na Hopetown. Ek is tans ‘n adjudantoffisier en werksaam as ‘n misdaad inligting- en analise beampte te Hopetown SAPS.
Ek het by Combat Rifle aangesluit gedurende Oktober 2004. Ek neem nou al vanaf 2005 elke jaar aan die Nasionale Kampioenskap deel. Dit bly elke jaar ‘n baie lekker uitdaging.
Ek het gedurende Julie 2018 my eie persoonlike vuurwapen gekoop. Ek het ‘n jaar en ‘n half vir my lisensie gewag. Ek het my lisensie en my vuurwapen net voor COVID ontvang. Ons het toe eers
weer Augustus 2022 ‘n Nasionale Kampioenskap gehad. Ek het toe vyfde algeheel geëindig. Derde in die polisie en ek is gekies vir SA A Span. Gedurende 2023 het ek 18de algeheel geëindig en weer derde van die polisie lede en is weer gekies vir die SA A span. Ons hou eintlik twee Nasionale Kampioenskappe gelyk. ‘n Polisie Nasionaal en ‘n Suid Afrikaanse Combat Rifle Nasionaal.
Hierdie jaar, 2024 was ‘n ander jaar. Dis asof die kondisies hierdie jaar moeiliker was as vorige jare. Wat ek daarmee bedoel is: Dit was baie koud in die oggend. Daar het omtrent elke dag ‘n wind gewaai en nooit uit ‘n konstante rigting nie. Die hittegolwe (mirage soos ons dit noem) het ‘n groot rol gespeel met mikpunte. Ek het nie so goed geskiet soos ek graag wou nie. Ek verwag beter punte van myself.
Ons program vir Nasionaal verloop soos volg:
Vrydag 2 Augustus is ‘n oefenkamp
Saterdag 3 Augustus is Vrystaat Provinsiale Kampioenskap
Sondag 4 Augustus is Geweer Verifikasie
Maandag 5 Augustus is Span Skiet
Dinsdag 6 Augustus – Dag een van Nasionaal
Woensdag 7 Augustus – Dag twee van Nasionaal
Donderdag 8 Augustus – Dag drie van Nasionaal en ook Polisie Prysuitdeling Funksie
Vrydag 9 Augustus – Dag vier van Nasionaal – Top 100 skuts en ook SA Nasionale Prysuitdeling Funksie
Saterdag 10 Augustus – Internasionale Spanne skiet
Ek is gedurende die Vrydag aand funksie gekies as deel van die vier Vroue Protea-span.
Dit was vir my ‘n baie groot verrassing. Ek het dit nie verwag nie. Ek het ook ‘n brons medalje gekry vir die derde SA vrou.
Ons vier vroue het die Saterdag teen Lesotho en Nederland se vroue spanne deelgeneem en ons het ‘n goue medalje gewen. Dit was ‘n absolute WOW oomblik. So so so spesiaal.
Dit voel nog ‘n bietjie onwerklik dat ek my Protea-kleure verwerf het. Ek dink dit sal eers behoorlik insink as ek die groen baadjie vir die eerste keer aantrek na ‘n funksie toe.
Dit is ‘n baie groot eer.
LT.KOL. MARIA (KOEKIE) GERBER
Via Marcia du Pont
Lt. kol Maria (Koekie) Gerber nominasie vir die “Worthy Woman 2024” .
Alombekend as Koekie, was sy bekend as die tannie wat seker maak dat persone wat kinders leed aandoen op 'n wettiese wyse verantwoording doen vir hul dade. Sy het 21 jaar van haar 31 jaar diensjare in die SAPD gewy daaraan om te werk met kinder- en seksuele misdrywe. Hierdie passie is dalk gebore uit kronkel paaie wat haar eie lewe haar aan blootgestel het en is sy trots om te kan getuig dat ten spyte van swaarkry en armoede sy opgestaan het uit haar omstandighede en 'n spreekbuis geword het vir ander wat nie vir hulself kan opstaan en praat nie.
Sy het ook nege jaar as 'n gewone speurder gewerk waar alle sake ondersoek word en bevind sy haar gereeld in 'n posisie waar sy oor stasie grense werk omdat die fokus is die bekamping van die misdaad. Sy is dan ook verlede jaar bevorder tot die speurhoof van SAPD Da Gamaskop. As gevolg van haar liefde en belangstelling vir mense, vind sy tyd (letterlik dag of nag) om diensbaar te wees vir haar gemeenskap en is sy gewillig om 'n pad te stap met enige persoon wat 'n verskil wil maak.
Sy was ook die mentor van die UN Women 100 Day Challenge wat gefokus is op GBVF en wat as die eerste van sy soort in die Garden Route District aangebied was. Alhoewel sy 'n bestuursposisie beklee, is haar fokus om met die op “grassroot level” te kommunikeer, saam te gesels en saam te kuier. Sy glo dit is hoe bande herstel word en vertroue daar gestel word. Dit kan mens verwag van iemand wie se stokperdjie omskryf word as "Helping my community". Ek wil egter verder gaan en sê dit is nie vir haar 'n taak of 'n werk nie, maar 'n leefstyl. Persoonlik het ek al fisies gesien hoe sy letterlik haar kind se klere aantrek vir 'n kindjie wat staan en koud kry of sonder skoene loop.
Koekie is 'n persoon wat eers doen ... vir haar gaan dit om die oplossing daar te stel, al beteken dit meer werk, meer tyd en meer ure in haar gemeenskap. Die "Blow the whistle" inisiatief wat fokus daarop om vroue en dogters te bemagtig in maniere om meer bewus te wees van hul omgewing, hulself met groter selfvertroue te handhaaf en te verdedig en die fluitjie om ‘geraasmakers’ te wees wat 'n stem gee aan seksuele misdrywe is nog 'n voorbeeld hoe sy buite haar normale diens gaan om mense bymekaar te kry om saam 'n verskil te maak.
Sy hou nie van konflik, van mense wat onnodig of onregverdig is nie. Sy glo nie aan dat mense geoordeel moet word nie en gaan uit haar pad om seker te maak dat almal se goeie eienskappe raakgesien en waardeer word. Sy help skryf aan nuwe narratiewe vir persone wat fouteer het en of jy 'n persoonlike, polisie verwante of enige probleem het, is haar woorde : ‘Vra net vir Koekie by Da Gamaskop’, ek sal inkom om jou te help! Haar passie vir mense is iets wat kop bo water uitstaan - sy laat elke persoon soos 'n spesiale persoon voel ongeag jou oortreding, jou herkoms of jou finansiële status. Sy is nie bang om haar hande vuil te maak nie en of sy nou huise moet uitverf, meubels rondskuif of saam bossies uittrek, sal sy net so hard saam werk soos enige ander persoon. Koekie is nie 'n persoon wat agter 'n tafel kan sit en net doen wat haar “job description” van haar verwag nie - nee - sy wil deel wees van die aksie, die opwinding en die oplossing. Sy is soos 'n kampvuur op 'n wintersdag - haar hitte, haar manier van praat, manier van doen trek mense nader na die hitte, die vuur en maak dat enige oomblik saam met haar 'n lekker onthou oomblik is.
Vir mede persone wat saam met haar werk is hierdie ook terapeuties wat alhoewel 'n mens met die seer en moeilike omstandighede te doene kry, is die manier hoe daar oplossings gevind word 'n "sagter" weergawe van die werklikheid. Haar sagtheid moet nie verwar moet met swakheid nie - sy is doelgerig, nougeset 'n gefokus om uitkoms gebaseerde dienste daar te stel en seker te maak dat elke persoon verantwoordelik gehou word vir hul rol en funksie.
WOMEN IN POLICING: CAPT. MARIAAN NEL.
Via Ida Steyn SAPS Newsroom
This year, the South African Police Service (SAPS) is observing #WomensMonth by highlighting the work of its women in blue who are not only 'game changers' in their respective fields, but who also go beyond the call of duty to serve and protect South Africans and visitors to the country.
Today, we introduce the nation to Captain Mariaan Nel, a qualified veterinary nurse attached to the SAPS Veterinary Services in Bloemfontein, Free State. The Veterinary Services is a specialised unit which resorts within the component Visible Policing and Operations. Nel joined the Service 13 years ago as a veterinary nurse at the rank of captain shortly after she obtained a National Diploma in Veterinary Nursing from the University of Pretoria; she also holds a degree in accounting
She is one of five female veterinary nurses in the Service and currently the only nurse based in the Free State province as part of a pilot project; in total there are eight veterinary nurses nationwide. Nel says her profession may not place her at the forefront of fighting crime, but it gives her work satisfaction to ensure the SAPS’ four-legged crime fighting heroes stay in tip top shape. #WomenInPolicing
https://www.saps.gov.za/newsroom/selnewsdetails.php...
LT. COL. GERBER HONERED AS WORTHY WOMAN OF THE YEAR 2024
Via Marcia du Pont.
Lt. Col Gerber Honoured as Worthy Woman of the Year 2024
We as DA Gamaskop Detectives are pleased to inform you that Lt. Colonel Gerber has been honoured as the Worthy Woman of the Year on Saturday, 3 August 2024. The award ceremony took place at the town Hall in Mossel Bay, where Lt. Colonel Gerber was selected as the winner from a pool of 10 finalists.
The Worthy Woman competition, which was initiated by Salome Werner, is well-known in Mossel Bay for her “Mooiste Jy” initiative that offers makeovers to women in the town. The competition aims to recognize women who significantly contribute to uplifting their communities. This year’s event was a high-profile gala that marked the culmination of the competition, coinciding with Women’s Month celebrations.
The competition also serves a philanthropic purpose, with local charities in Mossel Bay benefiting from the proceeds. The event garnered considerable attention, with a television show and a radio station covering it extensively. Salome Werner shared with the Mossel Bay Advertiser that the competition, publicized via social media, received an overwhelming 2,780 nominations from across South Africa.
We congratulate Lt. Colonel Gerber on this prestigious recognition and are proud of her contributions to our community.
SAPS CELEBRATES WOMEN IN BLUE: LT.GEN. MJ
SAPS News room:
Via Sarie van Niekerk
As the country observes women’s month, the South African Police Service (SAPS) joins the nation in celebrating its women in blue who are breaking barriers and blazing a path in their daily duties towards making South Africa a much safer and better place to live in.
In a statement on Monday, the SAPS introduced the nation to the Divisional Commissioner for Visible Policing and Operations, Lieut. Genl Maropeng Johanna Mamotheti.
Mamotheti has 36 years of service having joined the organisation in 1987 as a student constable. She was promoted to the rank of a Lieutenant General as a Divisional Commissioner for Visible Policing and Operations on 01 March 2024 where she is responsible for providing strategic leadership and management to ensure effective combating of crime prevention. This is through the provision of visible policing and operation services.
She leads and manages more than 19 000 members who are responsible for visible policing, including Operational Response Services (ORS) units such as the Public Order Policing (POP) unit, Tactical Response Teams (TRT), Counter Assault Team(CAT) and the Special Task Force (STF).
The Border Policing Unit which is responsible for securing the country’s land, sea and airports also fall under her command.
The Mobile Operations Unit which is responsible for securing of precious metals and minerals also falls under her command.
Before she was promoted to this role this year, she served in various positions within the SAPS, including the Deputy Provincial Commissioner for Support Services in the Northern Cape and also served as the Component Head for Social Crime Prevention where she was responsible for enhancing partnership policing programmes.
She also served as the Component Head of Firearms, Liquor and Second-Hand Goods (FLASH) at Head Office.
Under her command, the component managed to reduce the backlog in firearm licensing and firearms amnesty applications by 94.
In the 2021/2022 financial year, she oversaw the finalization of more than 531 000 firearms related applications. The effective management of the amnesty applications reduced the number of illegal firearms in circulation in the country.
In this role, she has also overseen the destruction of more than 263 000 firearms that were voluntarily surrendered to the state and confiscated during crime combatting operations across the country.
“The focus of our operations is to remove illegal firearms of our streets. We are seizing firearms on a weekly basis and our goal is to ensure we make the country a safer place to live in. Firearms are the most preferred weapon when violent crime is committed and that is why we must intensify our operations in this regard,” she said.
Mamotheti holds a Diploma in Policing, a BTech degree in Policing and a Bachelor of Commerce in Human Resource Management.
DAWN PARK SAPS CELEBRATES WOMEN’S MONTH WITH HIKING SESSION.
SAPS News Room: Via Sarie van Niekerk
This event not only promoted physical wellness but also highlighted the importance of women’s inclusion in all aspects of society.
Dawn Park SAPS members Sergeant Nhlanhla Mlhanga and Constable Zandile Matsaung.
In a celebration of Women’s Month, the Dawn Park SAPS, alongside Gauteng crime prevention wardens and Environmental Health Workers (EHW), hosted an invigorating hiking session at Rietvlei Zoo Farm, Alberton, on August 2.
This event not only promoted physical wellness but also highlighted the importance of women’s inclusion in all aspects of society.
Spokesperson of the police station serg. Nkemeleng Mabula explained the hiking session served as a platform to inspire participants to understand and value the significance of women’s roles within their communities.
“When we inspire others to understand and value women’s inclusion, we forge a better world.
“This sentiment resonated deeply throughout the day, emphasising that when women feel encouraged to participate, they experience a profound sense of belonging and relevance.”
“Her presence and guidance exemplified the strides being made in gender representation within the police force.”
During the gathering, Makgakga addressed the attendees with heartfelt words of encouragement:
“Your hard work and dedication are an inspiration to those around you. Keep up the good work and love yourself.”
Her message reinforced the importance of self-worth and the value of each individual’s contributions to the community.
Gauteng crime prevention wardens, EHW, and Dawn Park SAPS members unite in a show of support for women’s inclusion during the Women’s Month hiking session.
Mabula said the event also saw the active participation of male members of the Dawn Park SAPS, who joined in the celebrations to show their support for gender equality.
“Their involvement highlighted the crucial role that men play in fostering an inclusive environment where everyone can thrive.
“This collaborative spirit is essential in creating a society that values and uplifts women.”
Hikers pause for a moment of reflection, acknowledging the progress made in promoting gender equality and the work that still lies ahead.
As the day unfolded, participants engaged in conversations about the challenges women face and the collective responsibility to address these issues.
The hiking session not only provided a physical challenge but also served as a reminder of the strength found in unity and support.
FIRST POLICEWOMAN’S SELECTION FOR SPECIAL TASK FORCE.
SAPS News Room:
Via Sarie van Niekerk
A 32-year-old female cop has become the first woman to successfully complete the elite Special Task Force selection training programme. Her identity has been withheld for security reasons.
While her identity has been withheld for security reasons, the SAPS chose Women's Month to celebrate this tough-as-nails trailblazer.
“Today we introduce the nation to the first female police officer in the history of the organisation who successfully completed the elite Special Task Force selection training programme without any amendments made to suit females,” Lt-Col Amanda van Wyk said.
“Completing the intensive and rigorous 18-month-long training programme is no small feat as it is designed to test one's physical capabilities, endurance and mental strength.
“Many police officers would apply to join this elite unit with only a few that ultimately pass all the phases and complete the training programme.”
The female officer was one of only 11 members of a selected group of 36 group who were bestowed with task force parachute wings last year by national police commissioner Gen Fannie Masemola.
“As an operational [task force] operator, she is trained to a high level of skill in weapon proficiency, advanced paramilitary rural tactics, advanced tactical policing for high-risk incidents, hostage release tactics in a variety of high-risk incidents, as well as the ability to deploy operationally by parachute into rural environments,” Van Wyk said.
She said the candidate knew from a young age that she was destined to serve people and studied to become a personal trainer while playing rugby.
“Being both a fitness fanatic and an adrenaline junkie, her life naturally gravitated towards a career in law enforcement, and she joined the service in 2012. She admits that at first, she doubted she would be able to complete the [task force] training, but she says that she soon realised that where your mind takes you, your body will follow.
“The operator fondly refers to her colleagues as her 'brothers' and describes their bond as nothing short of camaraderie. She also encourages other women to be their authentic self and never doubt themselves.”
When not abseiling in to save lives, the operator spends her free time by staying fit, writing poetry and is studying towards a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in psychology.
“I always wake up with a smile on my face, even when I get woken up in the early hours of the morning to attend to a high-risk situation. My job excites me because the higher the risk, the higher the reward,” she said.
The Special Task Force, established in 1976, is the only paramilitary unit in the SAPS and falls under the specialised operations component, which is led by a female commander, Maj-Gen Nonhlanhla Zulu. Together with other units and components, they report to the organisation’s first female deputy national commissioner for policing, Lt-Gen Tebello Mosikili.
The elite unit's mandate includes responding to and providing operational support in high-risk incidents including terrorism, hostage incidents and rescue missions.
MY LOOPBAAN IN DIE POLISIE
Liza Vorster
My polisie loopbaan het begin op 15 Januarie 1987. My pa lt kol. Johannes Hendrik Koegelenberg, Distrikskommissaris van Tzaneen-distrik, het my daardie dag ingesweer. Kort daarna het my kollege opleiding te Pretoria polisiekollege begin, ek was die eerste inname van 1987, peloton 58 en het in Rosehof tuisgegaan. Die aanpassing weg van die huis was maar swaar ………. Ek onthou die lang rye by die tiekkieboks om huistoe te bel. Die kamer inspeksies was vir my baie spanningsvol. Ek het telkemale my bed inspeksie gefaal, en het noodgedwonge later op my trommel geslaap. Tot ek later uitgevind het dat my ou stoomstrykystertjie nie naastenby dieselfde werk doen as ‘n gewone strykyster nie, en nie daai lakens ooit sou platstryk nie.
Die berugte “patrollie Nel” se luide bevele op die paradegrond het my een Sondagmiddag byna ‘n hartaanval gegee. Ek skrik wakker in my kamer in Rosehof en besef alles is doodstil om my……….toe ek by die venster uitkyk, staan almal al op aandag op die paradegrond. Binne sekondes is ek aangetrek en met my hartklop wat by my keel wil uitspring vlieg ek daar weg….net betyds vir die uittree bevel. Genadiglik was ek nie as vermis aangemeld nie, maar ek het ‘n paar jaar ouer geword daai dag.
Na my uitpassering is ek by Pretoria hoofkantoor by die telekskantoor geplaas. Op 19 Junie 1987 het ek daar aangemeld. Daar het ek onder bevel van kapt Van Rooyen en lt. Benninghof gewerk. Baie aangename offisiere wat met hulle humor en goeie dissipline ‘n aangename werksplek geskep het. Ek het in Huis Duveen Botha (die vroue menasie) tuisgegaan en elke dag werk toe gestap. (Klink amper nie waar nie, maar ek het) Dit was my doel om ‘n verskil in my uniform te maak. Ek het doelbewus elke dag, elke persoon by wie ek verby geloop het met ‘n glimlag gegroet. Ek het geglo
dat al het ek nie altyd ‘n groet terug ontvang nie, dit wel ‘n verskil in iemand se lewe sou maak. Later het ek soms bus gery en steeds my glimlag elke dag opgesit. Min het ek geweet dat dit my “motto” vir nog 36 jaar sou wees.
15 Desember 1988, stap ek by my nuwe standplaas, Warmbad polisiestasie, vandag (BelaBela SAPS) in. Daardie jare was dit ‘n vakansiedorp want die groot Overvaal Oord was daar. Vir my was dit ‘n trekpleister en hier sou ek vir die eerste keer “regte” polisiewerk doen. Die stasiekommissaris van Warmbad. kapt Ampie Theron, het ‘n blywende indruk op my gemaak. ‘n Sagte mens met integriteit, menswaardigheid en ‘n vaste geloof in Ons Skepper. Die “eerste dag” wat ek by Warmbad aanklagtekantoor instap, het konst. Dennis Vorster, ‘n “tall, dark and handsome” polisieman, my voete behoorlik onder my uitgeslaan. Op 7 September 1991 word ek toe konst Vorster. Daai jare was “gepermde” hare hoog mode.
Gedurende my eerste ses maande op Warmbad SAPS het ek skofte gewerk in die aanklagtekantoor. Ek was sommer nog ‘n “blougat” toe die Nasionale taakmag een stil nag by ons polisiestasie kom besoek aflê het. Dit was blykbaar nie ‘n verrassing dat die taakmag span ‘n onbeplande skyn aanval op die stasie sou loots nie. Behalwe vir my …… Niks vermoedend was ek die oggend omstreeks 02:30 alleen in die aanklagtekantoor. Dit was nie snaaks nie, want my medekollegas het gewoonlik nagskofte buite “gepatroleer”. Kop onderstebo sit ek druk besig met ‘n taak vir my sersant eksamen………..die volgende oomblik kyk ek in seker, tien langloop gewere vas en manne in “camo” uniforms. (SCARY verby) Ek was lam van skok , ook maar goed anders het ek seker histeries begin skree. Ek kan onthou na ‘n paar sekondes het ek met lam bene opgestaan en dood luiters (of eerder dood verleë) gesê : “Kan ek julle help”! Nodeloos om te sê ek was seker nog lank daarna die hoofonderwerp van bespreking. Op 7 September 1991, is ek en Dennis Vorster getroud en hierdie jaar vier ons, ons 32ste huweliksherdenking. Desember 1989, steeds op Warmbad stasie is ek bevorder na die rang van sersant en het my dienste in menslike hulpbronne voortgesit. Desember 1992 is ek na adjudantoffisier bevorder en is toe as die SAP 13 klerk van Warmbad stasie aangestel.
In Maart 1997 het ek en my man ‘n verplasing geneem na Waterberg areakommissaris, Nylstroom (nou bekend as Modimolle). Ons het albei by logistiek gewerk. Oktober 2000 het ek ‘n kaptein’s pos by Waterberg area menslike hulpbronne gekry in die pos van “Career Management” Maart 2005, is ek bevorder na superintendent, as hoof van menslike hulpbronne by Waterberg area. Gedurende 2009 het die area kantore verklein en al ons lede onder ondersteunings dienste is uitgeplaas stasies toe. Ek is terug na Modimolle stasie as hoof van hulpbronbestuur.
Op stasievlak speel die polisie vrouenetwerk ‘n groot rol met die uitbou van die beeld en hulp aan die gemeenskap in verskillende vorme. Hier was een van die funksies met die tema “Vintage” wat deur Modimolle vrouenetwerk ondersteun was. Dierebeskerming in die algemeen en veral die versorging van troeteldiere in ons dorp en plaaslike nedersetting, Phagemeng, het ‘n hartsaak vir my geword en daarom het ek dit ook ‘n persoonlike- en vrouenetwerk-projek gemaak. In Junie 2021 het ek ‘n projek geloods in samewerking met Modimolle Animal Welfare Centre (MAWEC) en die DBV in Mokopane vir opleiding van troeteldiereienaars, asook die sterilisasie van huisdiere en om teen verwaarlosing en mishandeling van diere op te tree. Vrouenetwerk span van Modimolle wat deelgeneem het aan die uitreiking en uitdeel van kos en komberse vir die honde in Phagameng nedersetting. My bewustheid van die haglike toestand en omstandighede waaronder honde aangehou word het my op ‘n persoonlike vlak ook betrokke gemaak. Dit was vir my baie hartseer om te besef hoe onbetrokke ons eie polisielede en polisiebestuur by dierebeskerming is. Vir alle misdade word daar “targets” gestel maar wanneer dit kom by onskuldige diere wat nie vir hulself kan praat nie, was daar weinig belangstelling. Selfs wanneer ek persoonlik hulp gevra het, het lede dit as onbelangrik en gering geag. Slegs ‘n handjievol kollegas was altyd bereid om hul beursies oop te maak en hulp aan te bied. Daar is die geval Bruno geen skuiling teen die bloedige warm Oktober son gehad nie. Hy was aan ‘n tou vasgemaak en het baie min beweegruimte gehad. Die gemeenskap het skadunet geskenk, ‘n hondehuis, komberse en kosbakke. Die DBV se hulp is ook ingeroep en die eienaar is opgelei en ‘n draad gespan sodat Bruno darem kon rondbeweeg. Met die hulp en uitreiking van die gemeenskap het Bruno se lewe heelwat verbeter. Dit is nie altyd moontlik vir die DBV om honde te vat nie. Hulle hokke is reeds oorvol en dit beteken ‘n einde aan so ‘n hond se lewe. Daarom probeer ons eerder
om die dier se lewe darem gemakliker te maak en te sorg dat hy toegang het tot kos en water. Dan is daar nog n bejaarde reun wat met ‘n hondehuis gehelp is. Die arme hond het ook geen skuiling, of toegang tot kos en water gehad nie. En die jong Jack Russel het ‘n tweede kans gekry en is deur ‘n kollega aangeneem. Hierdie is maar enkele gevalle. Nodeloos om te noem hoeveel duisende diere daarbuite in sulke haglike omstandighede lewe.
Daar was “Kiettie” een van die wilde stasie katte wat mettertyd omdat ek hulle gereeld kos gegee het, al hoe makker geword het en later daagliks met my “admin” pligte gehelp het. Ek het gereël dat Kiettie gesteriliseer word en so het Kiettie deel van Modimolle stasie geword. MAWEC- Modimolle Animal Welfare Centre help met die sterilisasie van diere in ruil vir enige huishoudelike items wat verkoop word ten bate van die sterilisasies.
Vrouenetwerk span van Modimolle wat deelgeneem het aan die uitreiking en uitdeel van kos en komberse vir die honde in Phagameng nedersetting
Een van my persoonlike hoogtepunte wat ek kan onthou was Waterberg distrik se “Excellence Awards” van 2019. Brig. Annalene Steyn, die distrikskommissaris van Modimolle was die breinkind van hierdie suksesvolle funksie. Ek het die voorreg gehad om al die toekennings vir die wenners van ondersteuningsdienste te oorhandig. Ek het die geleentheid ten volle aangegryp, en dit was nou behoorlik ‘n formele uithang geleentheid. My groen rok is spesiaal laat maak en dit was ‘n inspirasie om ‘n hele paar kilo’s te verloor.
My loopbaan was soos met alle ander lede nie sonder uitdagings nie. Integriteit en dissipline is vir my ‘n daaglikse leefwyse. As ‘n bevelvoerder was dit my eerste prioriteit dat die lede en kollegas onder my bevel die reëls en regulasies sou gehoorsaam en nakom. Sommige lede wou hul egter nie aan die regulasies steur nie en ek as bevelvoerder moes telke male dissiplinêre stappe neem. Soms self kriminele klagtes open.
Dit het ‘n weersin en disrespek teenoor my ontketen, aangesien lede soms dit nie wil aanvaar dat hulle foute maak of daarop gewys word en hul wangedrag te verander nie. Aangesien ek vasgestaan het by my beginsels en ten spyte van intimidasie nie ingegee het nie, het hulle my valslik beskuldig dat ek die “K” woord gebruik het. Kortliks wil ek net sê dat na maande se ondersoeke, kriminele en dissiplinêre verhore, geen stappe teen my of die ander partye geneem is nie. Maar die hartseer en trauma wat ek moes deurstaan, net omdat ek op my reg staan en dissipline toepas, was ongelukkig ‘n hartseer ondervinding. Veral as jy alleen staan en jou getuies skielik niks gesien of gehoor het nie.
Ek was ook telke male aangestel as die voorsittende beampte vir dissiplinêre verhore en ek moet erken dat dissipline in die SAPS ‘n groot hartseer mislukking is. Ek was nog altyd trots op my uniform en het altyd op my beste probeer lyk.
Die beeld wat ek na die publiek en my medekollegas uitgedra het was vir my baie belangrik. Ek wou ‘n verskil maak, en ‘n positiewe beeld van die vrou in uniform uitdra. Ek is baie keer deur mense van die publiek voorgekeer en gekomplimenteer oor my uniform en netheid. Dit het my net meer geïnspireer om altyd ‘n positiewe beeld uit te dra. Hierdie was my heel laaste vrouenetwerk bydrae, in 2022 by Castle de Wilt net buite Modimolle. Ek het ons hele Waterberg distrik se dames toegespreek , met die hulp van rolmodelle oor die moet’s en moenie’s van die drag order. algemene netheid, dissipline en die dra van privaat klere. En die belangrikheid van die beeld van die vrou in
uniform. Dit was ‘n groot voorreg om lt.genl. Magda Stander, ‘n ikoon op die gebied, as eregas daar te hê
Sy het einde Desember 2021 afgetree en dit was ‘n groot verlies vir die SAPS. 13 Maart 2023, was my laaste dag in uniform. Dit was my trots en het deel geword van my menswees. Vir 36 jaar was dit my doelwit om ‘n verskil aan die publiek se beeld van ons as polisievroue, se voorkoms en dienslewering te maak. Met die genade van Ons Allerhoogste, Almagtige God kan ek met dankbaarheid sê, ek glo ek het my doelwit bereik. Ek glo ek het ‘n verskil gemaak. Ek gee al die LOF en die EER aan my Hemelse Vader. Elke uitdaging het Hy saam met my geveg. Baie maal het ek gestruikel en soms sommer hard geval, maar Sy Hand was altyd uitgestrek om my weer op te tel. My Here was my anker en Sy genade was vir my GENOEG vir elke dag. Ek is dankbaar dat ek nooit in lewensgevaar verkeer het nie en was dit vir my nooit nodig om my vuurwapen te gebruik nie. My man is wel deur sulke situasies en besef ek wat dit behels. Ek het in hierdie tyd ook twee pragtige seuns grootgemaak wat vir ons net ‘n plesier is. Dit het daarom ook vir my tyd geword om kwaliteit tyd aan my huismense te spandeer. Soos die Woord sê, daar is ‘n tyd om te kom en ‘n tyd om te gaan.
PRAYER MISSON AND FAMILY VISIT TO FRANCE
Past. Friede Müller McBride
My daughter, Vanessa, her husband, Brent, and their two children, Gabriel (14) and Robyn (11), relocated to France at the end of last year. They live in a small town on the outskirts of Paris, called Saint-Germain-en-Laye. The river Laye is a branch of the river Seine and flows through SaintGermain.
The Lord gave me the opportunity to go and visit them during July this year. However, it was not only going to be a family visit but also a prayer mission for the Lord.
Gabriel and I on the bus en route to Saint-Cyr.
The Lord had been speaking to me for quite some time about the subject of re-digging the wells of prayer and revival in South Africa. As a result, I and several other intercessors have visited several places in SouthAfrica where there were revivals during the 1800’s, and we prayed that revival would break out there again.
When I sought the Lord about visiting my family in France, He gave me an assignment to go to Paris, Cambrai, and Saint- Cyr-l’Ecole, to pray for a revival of the prayer movement known as The Interior Way. (I have written two articles for Nongqai regarding this method of prayer, namely, Beholding the Lord, and Prayer Communion with God.)
Before I left for France, I and two other intercessors, prayed extensively for my visits to the abovementioned places.
I was overjoyed to see my family again! I arrived on a Friday, we spent the Saturday exploring SaintGermain-en-Laye, and on the Sunday, Vanessa, Robyn, and I went to see an exhibition of the PostImpressionists at the Musee d’Orsay, (an art museum) in Paris. Both Vanessa and I love the Impressionist and Post-Impressionist painters, so it was a real treat that we still managed to get tickets for the last day of the exhibition.
Here is just two of the paintings we saw.
Girl with a Green Parasol – Eduard Monet
Self Portrait – Vincent van Gogh. (Old time selfie!)
I undertook the first prayer mission journey on the next Saturday. It was to pray in Saint-Cyr-l’Ecole. The whole family accompanied me. The French word “ecole” means school. The second wife of King Louis XIV, Madame de Maintenon, started a school in Saint-Cyr for the daughters of impoverished noblemen during the late 1600’s. She employed another woman of noble birth, Madame Jeanne Guyon, who was a well-known Christian who practiced the Interior Way of Prayer, to teach the girls Religious Studies. However, because of religious and political strife inside France, the school was eventually closed. During the 1800’s Napoleon turned the buildings into an elite military academy, which it still is until this day. After a very pleasant bus ride and local train journey, we arrived in Saint-Cyr. Walking down a hill and into the town, we found the l’Ecole buildings right on the main road. While my family went to a nearby Boulangerie (local bakery and coffee shop) I walked around the perimeter fence praying. As the building was now a Military Academy, one could not go inside it, for security reasons. Nevertheless, the presence of Holy Spirit was very heavy upon me as I prayed that the Lord would open the well of revival for inward prayer in that place again. I felt very humbled as I stood there and prayed, blew the shofar, and prayed in tongues. I saw in the spirit that the Lord would indeed raise up an army of women intercessors from that old well, to intercede for France. Afterwards I joined my family for a cappuccino and a raspberry tart. French bread and confectionary are out of this world!
My next prayer assignment was to Cambrai, a town in northeast France, near the Belgium border. It was a very early start to catch two metro trains to the main train station in Paris. There we boarded the “bullet” train. It’s fastest speed on the ride to Cambrai, was 300kph!
Madame de Maintenon’s home and the school.
“Bullet” trains at Paris Station. We travelled in the white one. Arriving at Cambrai, we found the Cathedrale Notre Dame de Grace where Archbishop Francois Fenelon served the Lord. He was also a Christian that practiced Inward Prayer and taught others to practice it. Unfortunately, the cathedral was under renovation and closed to visitors. I was greatly disappointed but not deterred! I stood on the steps and again prayed, blew the shofar, and prayed in tongues. As before the presence of the Lord enveloped me, and tears streamed down my face as I supplicated Him for another prayer revival.
The steps of the cathedral where I prayed Unfortunately, the cathedral was under renovation and closed to visitors
After praying we found the tourist bureau where we were told that there is a sightseeing tour route through Cambrai as there were three churches of note in the town. We undertook a prayer-walk, and I prayed inside the Church of Saint-Gery, and outside the Belfry, the Vaucelette Chapel, the Jesuits’ Chapel, and a high school started by Fenelon.
Montmartre and artists at work.
After our prayer visit to Cambrai, we decided it was time for a bit of family fun!
So, on the next weekend (my last! Eish…) we went to visit Montmartre in the middle of Paris. Montmartre is an open square with many street cafes and many artists that paint there in the open air. What an experience to see so many different artists busy painting while tourists stared at them! I’m sure I wouldn’t be able to do that! It was wonderful though, to see so much beautiful talent on display. After looking our fill, we sat down in one of the café’s and had something cool to drink. It had been a hot day and was quite a climb up a hill to get to the square.
I shall be forever grateful to our lovely Lord and Saviour for the opportunity, not only to visit my family and see France, which is a massive blessing, but also to be used by
We end the day with a visit to a street café.
Him in such a wonderful way. It has again shown me how important prayer is and that He needs us to bring His will to pass “on the earth as it is in heaven.” I hope that my sharing this experience with you, will encourage you to go deeper into prayer with your Lord, and to make yourself available to be used of Him. Amen.
ELKE VROU IS UNIEK
Ek vertrou elke vrou het ‘n Wonderlike Vrouedag gehad saam met julle geliefdes, kinders en kleinkinders.
Elkeen is uniek, spesiaal en kosbaar. Dankie dat julle ‘n verskil maak in die gemeenskap.
Ida Steyn
AAN AL ONS WONDERLIKE VROUE IN BLOU
Sandra Coertze
Aan al ons wonderlike vroue in blou, elke liewe een van julle is as ‘n rolmodel, gekies om iewers in die lewe jou stukkie verskil te maak. Ek sê dankie aan elke polisievrou wat oor my lewe gekom het want elke liewe een van julle is ‘n Hero vir my. Elke vrou wat ek ontmoet, van verskillende range, is altyd motiverend as ek hul teëkom, en dis daaroor dat ek net kies om elke keer te groei en bo uit te kom. Julle is die klein stemmetjie in my gedagtes wat my altyd herinner, alles sal uitwerk, en wat moet gebeur sal gebeur.
VROUEMAAND!!
Joey van der Mescht
Vrouemaand!!
Ruk af jou bra
Laat niks oppie aarde jou pla
Los jou hare vuil
Kap jou groente met ‘n byl
Drink kleurige drankies
Lê leeg op publieke bankies
Trek gesig vir jou man
Want jy kan
Lê rond en wees sleg
Dis jou vroulike reg
Steek tong uit vi jou kinners
Snuif ‘n bietjie thinners
Rook boom
Hou jouself geensins in toom
Laat jou beenhare groei
Ry op ‘n koei
Skakel af jou kop
Gooi nog ‘n dop
Poep hard innie straat
Wees ten volle on-paraat
Eet kerrie
Gedra jou soos ‘n flerrie
Dis jou dag dié
Wanne even jy innie tuin kan peee
Druk jou irritasies ‘n pit
Laat niemand op jou kop sit
Vlieg hoog
Lê laag
Sit ‘n horrible tattoo op jou maag
Dra rooi oorbelle
Hang blink goeters aan die ander los velle
Celebrate jouself as vrou
Niemand hoef vandag van jou te hou!
Kou ‘n chappy
But whatever you do, JUST BE HAPPY!!!!!
Alandri Minnie(middel) het vroeër vanjaar haar Baccalaureus Commercii graad in Ondernemingsbestuur aan die Akademia universiteit in Pretoria behaal. By haar is haar ma, kapt. (afgetree) Jane Adrian’s Minie (links) en haar pa, lt.kol. Johan Minie.
