She received the award in the Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences (FCS) category during the SAPS Limpopo Provincial Excellence Awards at Bolivia Lodge in Polokwane on Friday, November 24. Mathebula told the Herald that she is humbled and proud of the accolades bestowed upon her.

This is her fourth SAPS award, others include Limpopo’s Most Hardworking Woman in 2011, Detective of the Year in Limpopo in 2017, and runner-up in the national Detective of the Year competition in 2018. Mathebula has 17 years of experience in the police and says she finds joy in bringing solutions to people and communities.

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She is currently working at the Tzaneen FCS unit and is the face behind the recent life sentence of Mohlala Kgatla from Phaphadi who raped an 83-year-old woman. She was also the investigating officer of the so-called R71 serial rapist, Godlip Seoka, who targeted women hitchhiking. Seoka was sentenced to 85 years in prison last month.

The award-winning officer says her job comes with challenges such as victims changing their minds or withdrawing cases after accepting money from the perpetrators. It also breaks her heart when family members of a victim withhold information to protect a perpetrator. Mathebula attributes her success to Brig Sakkie Brancon who trained her when she joined the FCS unit as well as Adv Solly Ngobeni who mentored her. She told the Herald that her family comes first, and her spare time is spent with her husband and children.