Be willing to make sacrifices and go the extra mile, says one of Limpopo’s top ranked female officers
Brigadier Dikeledi Mangena is being honoured by the South African Police Service in Limpopo as one of the toughest female police officers in their management rankings
POLOKWANE – Anything is achievable if you have the right mindset, discipline and determination. This is advice Brigadier Dikeledi Mangena gives to other women irrespective of their age, status and rank.
Mangena is being honoured by the South African Police Service in Limpopo as one of the toughest female police officers in their management rankings, who continues pushing boundaries and has explored various fields over the years. Having been promoted from Constable to Brigadier, Mangena now heads the Provincial Operational Command Centre (POCC) based in Ladine, Polokwane.
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The 54-year-old joined the South African Police Service in 1987 at a tender age of 22 and completed her basic training course at the Haamanskraal College outside Pretoria before being deployed to the then Lebowa Police Head Office in Lebowakgomo and worked in the Administration Section at the rank of a Constable.
After a short stint in the Namakgale Police Station’s administration department in 1989, Mangena was transferred to Acconhoek at the District Commissioner’s Office. Two years later, she moved to the Maake Police Station near Tzaneen and continued with administration duties. It wasn’t till 1993 when she joined the detective section at the same station where she specialised in sexual related offences where she managed to acquire detective skills which enabled her to crack serious and complicated rape cases. In 1994 she was promoted to a rank of Sergeant and in 1998 promoted to a rank of Warrant Officer.
In 2000, Mangena was promoted as a Captain and was appointed as manager of the finance accounting office at the Lephalale Police Station, making her the first black female to do so. There she ensured that all members were treated fairly in terms of allowances and benefits. Two years later, she was appointed as the Station Commander of the Pienersrevier police station near Bela-Bela, making her one of the few women to head a Police Station in the Province.
“In 2003, I received a phone call from the District Commissioner informing me that I must report to the Bela-Bela Police Station first thing the following morning as the new Station Commander. Without fear or doubt, I complied,” she recalls.
Her time in Bela-Bela is seen as a highlight in her career as she managed to bring black and white police officers under one ship and in doing so, brought the community, businesses and farmers together in a united effort.
She was then promoted as a Lieutenant Colonel and was transferred to head the Mokopane Police Station. During her stay in Mokopane, she established the Mokopane Business Forum and was awarded the best station commander of the year by the very same Forum after bringing all businesses one roof and had them working closely with the Police. This resulted in a drop in crime in the area. She worked there until 2009.
She then moved to Seshego as the new Station Commander after she was promoted to the rank of a Brigadier. Amongst her journeys travelled, she became the Cluster Commander of Mahwelereng, Cluster Commander of Musina and the Deputy Cluster Commander of Polokwane.
Mangena says one of her greatest achievements was being part of a SAPS delegate during the International Community Policing Seminar for senior police officers in China in 2014. The initiative, she said, was aimed at empowering women in law enforcement on a global scale.
In addition, Mangena acclaims Saps as an organisation that supports and gives women opportunities to explore within various career paths. She joined the service with only a matric qualification, but she now proudly holds a National Diploma in Policing, a National Diploma in Basic Bookkeeping and Bachelor of Policing Practice.
“You have to be willing to go the extra mile and make sacrifices along the way. Family is very important and as mothers, wives and sisters, we need to be supportive and loving at all times,” she concluded.
