JMPD inspector reveals the deep empathy hiding behind the badge

Puling on the uniform with steely purpose, behind the robust badge lies a deep well of tenderness.

After sampling the police service as well as the army, Phumzile Mkhwanazi chose the uniform of Johannesburg’s orange and blue finest. Now 19 years into her Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD) career, Inspector Mkhwanazi is cementing a reputation for tackling the issues that affect those most vulnerable. “It was always my dream; I knew at a young age that this is what I would do,” Inspector Mkhwanazi said, who chose JMPD because the scope of their work is so varied.

Mother to a 14-year-old, the empathetic inspector’s most recent success is the safe recovery of a girl caught up in the depths of drug addiction. The mother of the girl had come to Inspector Mkhwanazi begging for assistance, distraught at how drugs were consuming her daughter’s life. “When a parent comes asking for help, it is about being emotionally present and putting myself in their shoes. The next day we arranged a raid at that school,” said the inspector.

A week after the raid at the high school in Roodepoort, the mother again sought the help of Inspector Mkhwanazi, this time because her daughter had gone missing that Friday evening. Working with other law-enforcement units, by Saturday evening the 19-year-old had still not been found. The shining JMPD light then recalls how sitting in church the next day, she had a moving premonition that there was more to uncover.

Once concluding her morning worship, the inspector revisited the story of a friend and the girl was tracked to a house in Diepkloof that late-June Sunday afternoon where she was found safe. Reportedly hiding with friends, the undernourished girl was removed from the house but attempts to find her a safe rehabilitation centre were unsuccessful. No rehab facilities were accepting new patients due to the ongoing health crisis; however, the matric has since received treatment in hospital and is said to be recovering well.

Apart from rescuing troubled youths, Inspector Mkhwanazi also received wide attention for the arrest of a rapist who is now serving a life sentence. Hundreds more arrests over the years have earned her several awards for crime prevention and overall outstanding performance. Passionate about gender-based violence and youth issues, Inspector Mkhwanazi envisions a holistic approach to protecting children. “We need more school searches, and schools need to monitor who is loitering outside their gates,” she said.

Inspector Mkhwanazi understands the challenges of parenting, but stresses how the little things go a long way to guiding a child. “Parents should support their children emotionally. Notice the small changes because nobody knows them like you,” urged the Inspector.

With a fearless and uncompromising attitude towards criminals, true heart and emotion are saved for those needing help in the quieter spaces.