Brig Naledzani Julia Sivhula has been an integral part of the law enforcement community through her commitment and dedication to upholding police integrity and professionalism. She had a career spanning forty years since 1984. “She has been a cornerstone of the organisation within her respective environment, displaying the highest standards of policing and serving as a mentor to many colleagues in her illustrious career,” remarked the provincial commissioner, Lt Gen Thembi Hadebe. Sivhula is currently the Capricorn deputy district commissioner and will retire later this year.

She began her career at the Sibasa Training College where she did her basic training for nine months. Upon completion, she was deployed to Dzanani Police Station, and a year later, she was transferred to Venda Police Training College as an instructor. It is here where she played a major role in shaping police officers, the majority of whom ended up being senior police officers in various sections. In 1991, she was transferred to Quartermaster as an administrator (SCM) and in 1997 she moved to Louis Trichardt Police Station, currently known as Makhado, where she continued with administrative duties.

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In 2000, she was promoted to the rank of captain and commander for crime prevention at Makhado. In the same year, she was appointed the station commander of Bandelierskop and in just a few years, she left to head the Soekmekaar Police Station, now Morebeng. In 2004, she became the station commander of Makhado where she served until 2007. She was promoted to the rank of lieutenant colonel at the same station.

In 2009, she became the station commander of Polokwane at the rank of a brigadier and served as Seshego Cluster commander (now called districts), Provincial Component Operation coordinator, Mankweng Cluster commander, and Capricorn deputy district commissioner, the position she currently holds. Sivhula holds a national diploma in Policing, a degree in Human Resource Management, an honours degree in Human Resource Development, a BA in Community Policing, and a certificate in Labour Law.

Sivhula has encouraged young officers to uphold their social responsibility. “We must not turn a blind eye to the struggles endured in our communities. One of my goals this year is to ensure that the project of building a house for a family from Ga-Komape in Moletjie is completed. That will be my send-off gift to the communities I will continue to serve even after my retirement,” she concluded.