Women in blue: The backbone of Brakpan SAPS
From station command to finance and family protection, these women are leading change in every corner of the police service.
From being mothers, wives, and siblings to working in support, human resources, finance or out on the front lines, Brakpan women in blue are doing it all.
Brakpan SAPS proudly honours their women leaders this Women’s Month – the women who lead, lift, and build. These women are recognised for their dedication to law enforcement, their impact on community safety, and their crucial role in addressing gender-based violence.
• Brigadier Johanna Ngoma is the Brakpan SAPS station commander and is responsible for the overall management and operational effectiveness of the police station.
Ngoma fiercely tackles her role as the station commander with integrity and always strives to empower other women.
• Colonel Karlien Swanepoel is the female support head at Brakpan SAPS with 33 members, both men and women, under her command. Swanepoel started her leadership role as the provincial commander of HR planning and utilisation, which she held for 15 years.
• Lieutenant Colonel Mpumi Ndlovu started her leading role as a relief commander at Etwatwa Police Station in 2010, and has been a relief commander at Brakpan SAPS since 2017.
• Lieutenant Colonel Gladys Rapholo held the position of Vispol and operational commander at the Boksburg Police Station. She started at Brakpan SAPS in 2020 as a relief commander.
• Lieutenant Colonel Gloria Dalicuba began her leading role as supply chain commander in 2014 at the Heidelberg Police Station and moved to the Everton Police Station in 2021 in the same role. She currently holds the position as a sub-division commander in the supply chain at Brakpan SAPS.
• Lieutenant Colonel Libia Mashego is the Brakpan SAPS head of finance. She was previously the acting head of finance at the Tsakane Police Station, and was a member of the inspectorate team in Germison.
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• Captain Martha Beeslaar was the Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences (FCS) Unit commander in Lephalale, Limpopo. She is currently the acting FCS Unit commander at Brakpan SAPS.
• Lieutenant Colonel Pearl van Staad was promoted to the rank of captain in 2010 and stationed at the Etwatwa Police Station (Social Crime Prevention/Communications and cluster coordinator).
From 2014 to 2016 she was the acting Vispol commander at Etwatwa SAPS. She joined Brakpan SAPS in 2017 as the communications officer. In 2022 she was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel and is currently the station’s Vispol support head.
The policewomen admit that although there are challenges and uncertainties here and there along their leadership paths, the creation of a more equitable and empowering environment for women leaders enables them to reach their full potential and contribute to a safer and prosperous community.
