Female officers within the Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD) marched through Fourways on Friday to challenge the notion that municipal policing requires only basic entry-level qualifications.
About 300 officers took part in the JMPD Women’s Unity Walk, wearing academic regalia over their uniforms to showcase their tertiary qualifications and highlight the role of higher education in law enforcement.
According to JMPD spokesperson, Superintendent Xolani Fihla, the demonstration was organised specifically to dispel the public perception that officers only hold a matric certificate and a driver’s licence.
“The perception is that [joining the] metro police is just matric and a driving licence. This is to prove that we have qualifications and are highly skilled at what we do,” Fihla said.
He said the event formed part of the department’s Women’s Month programme and coincided with JMPD’s 25th anniversary. Fihla added that the City of Johannesburg provides study bursaries for officers seeking to upskill in fields related to municipal policing and public administration.
“We encourage colleagues who haven’t pursued this avenue to further their studies and acquire professional qualifications,” he said.
For Lebo Machethe, balancing academic study with frontline duties has defined her four years with the department. Machethe, who is pursuing a criminology degree, said her academic background helps her better address community safety issues, particularly gender-based violence.
“I was already studying before joining the department and was determined not to abandon my education when I began my career,” she said. “Continuing my studies while working as an MPO has helped me better understand the challenges affecting our communities.”
Namhla Xhi, who serves in the JMPD Tactical Response Unit, said specialised operational duties require ongoing professional development, especially in male-dominated divisions.
“I chose policing because I wanted a purpose, to serve and protect while making a tangible difference,” she said, adding that a significant challenge has been dismantling the assumption that being a woman makes one less capable in specialised units.
Ntombi Sihlale urged young women, particularly from township areas, to look beyond entry-level requirements and pursue career progression within municipal policing.
“Behind this uniform, there are educated officers,” Sihlale said. “Young women shouldn’t view this as exclusively a male domain. Women are qualifying, advancing, and occupying senior leadership positions across the department.”
