Sergent Elisabeth Modiba, of the Randburg Police Station, marked Youth Day by reaffirming the station’s commitment to the communities it serves, saying officers wanted residents to know that the police stood firmly alongside them.

Modiba was speaking after the station held a Youth Day initiative to engage young people in the area. An event, she said, had not been without its early doubters. “Initially, others were negative. However, at the end it was supported and it was a success.”

Read more: History behind Youth Day

Substance abuse, she said, remained one of the most pressing threats facing young people in the area. “Substance abuse remains a challenge in our area as it destroys the youth.”

To tackle the problem, officers visited schools regularly, holding talks and awareness campaigns across different schools in the area as often as they could. One of the most encouraging changes Modiba had witnessed over the years was a shift in how young people viewed the police.

Where officers were once seen as adversaries, that relationship had evolved into something far more hopeful. “Back in the day the police were known to be enemies, but over the years young people are now coming to the police. The relationship is getting better as we visit them and engage with them, and they are now building a good relationship with the police. We fight crime together, as they help the police by reporting crime they see happening in their community.”

For Modiba, the work goes beyond the job. She said she had always wanted to give something back to the community she grew up in, and to play her part in steering young people away from substance abuse and crime. “I always wanted to contribute positively for my community and wanted to assist to say no to substance abuse and no to crime.”

Also read: Hillcrest Academy celebrates Youth Day

She also had a message for young people considering a career in the police service, urging them not to be put off by the perception that policing was only about catching criminals. “This is not only about chasing criminals. We have everything one can think about, from social workers and chaplains to journalists. The list is endless.”

Reflecting on the meaning of Youth Day itself, Modiba said history remained as relevant today as it had ever been. “A person knows where they come from and knows where they are going, so our history will remain important, and we learn every day about it.”

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