Making women on the beat a force
EKURHULENI is on the drive to empower women working in the metro police and emergency management services departments.
City manager Imogen Mashazi pledged to help female members of staff further their studies so they can occupy senior positions in the department.
Speaking to hundreds of women metro police and emergency service officers during the launch of the city manager’s uniformed female officers in community safety legacy project in Thokoza, Mashazi made it clear that the project was aimed at motivating and empowering women officers.
“This innovation is aimed at motivating and celebrating uniformed officers in the city who, despite the intricate nature of their work, continue to dedicate themselves to fighting lawlessness.
“Not only do they risk their lives on a daily basis taking on heartless and brutal criminals, they continue to ensure that we are as crime- and lawlessness-free as possible,” Mashazi elaborated, adding she would love to see both the metro police and emergency services led by women.
“In showing our appreciation of this hard work and dedication, through this legacy project, the city would be prioritising their academic advancement, celebrating their achievement and tackling any bias directed at them,” she continued.
Mashazi said the city would look closely at the issue of career progression for female officers “because it is common knowledge that this profession and a number of others have historically and continue to be dominated by males”.
“The critical issues we will be looking at include: do we have enough female officers in high positions? Is the career progression programme we have benefiting them? If the answer is negative, immediate action will have to be taken.
“Education is a key that opens all doors. It is a key that will unlock senior posts for our ladies, hence we must encourage them to seize the opportunity and further their studies,” she added.
The city manager’s community safety project will run for the next five years. It is aimed at motivating and recognising the work of the female officers while also empowering them to do even better and occupy senior positions. It further encourages employment equity and equal working conditions for both male and female officers.