'She stood up for the province and made us proud' — Free State constable’s work with children earns her top police award

Constable Thato Motlagomang Mothamane’s dedication to the wellbeing and safety of children is unmatched.

Apart from winning the top award and a new car, she also received the Visible Policing and Operations’ Employee of the Year award at the 8th Annual SAPS Excellence Awards on Saturday night. SAPS members, reservists and Community Policing Forum members who excelled in their duties during 2021/22 were recognised.

National police spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe said Mothamane was responsible for implementing safety programmes at 39 schools. Her duties included conducting crime awareness campaigns and school searches to create a conducive learning environment.

Mothamane said she was delighted to receive the Laureate Award.

“I had not anticipated receiving the award… but it shows that my work is appreciated. I enjoy working with schools and students. Campaigns that teach students about bullying, substance abuse and other crimes are important to me.”

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Mothamane said she had been inspired to work harder and look for innovative new ways to improve what she delivered to schools in the Free State.

The implementation of the school programme is guided by the School Safety Protocol which was entered into by the SAPS and the Department of Basic Education in 2011. To realise the objectives of the protocol, schools are linked to police stations to raise awareness among children about the impact of crime and violence.

The police statistics for the second quarter of the 2022/2023 financial year, released by Police Minister Bheki Cele show the country’s “bloodbath of violent crime remains out of control”.

Cele said: “We as communities continue to fail to protect some of the most vulnerable in society — our children.”

On Wednesday, Free State police spokesperson Lt-Col Thabo Covane told Daily Maverick that the province was extremely happy with Mothamane’s achievement:

“She stood up for the province and made us proud. The province of Free State is barely visible on a map. Cape Town and Gauteng are always mentioned. Thanks to Mothamane, we are now among the big boys.”

Some of the other top achievers were:

Crime Intelligence Team of the Year Award: The national Anti-Kidnapping Task Team. Over a period of two years, the team investigated 134 kidnappings where ransom demands had been made.

Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences (FCS) Investigating Unit’s Team of the Year Award: King William’s Town FCS led by Lt-Col NW Mbalo.

Community Policing Forum of the Year: Bethelsdorp CPF in the Eastern Cape.

Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation’s Team of the Year: The Hawks for their efforts to arrest those allegedly responsible for the assassination of the Anti-Gang Unit’s Lt-Col Charl Kinnear. DM

Keep an eye out in Daily Maverick. We will be publishing more articles by Vincent Cruywagen on some of the country’s award-winning cops.