Die land se heel eerste en enigste vroulike “takie” het in 2012 by die polisie aangesluit. Sy het 18 maande intensiewe opleiding suksesvol afgelê en in Januarie 2023 haar STF-valskermvlerkies ontvang.
Lt.kol. Amanda van Wyk sê die lid, wat nie geïdentifiseer kan word nie, het van jongs af geweet sy is bestem om te dien en het eers vir ‘n persoonlike afrigter studeer, waarna sy by die polisie aangesluit het.
Luister jy na haar kalm, bedaarde en beheerste stem tydens ‘n onderhoud wat met eNCA gevoer is, weet jy waarom sy suksesvol haar skoene met trots in ‘n patriargale wêreld vol staan. Sonder om die kursus vir hierdie vroulike kandidaat aan te pas, was sy een van slegs 11 en die enigste vrou wat tot nou toe die kursus van die elite-eenheid se 36ste Seleksie kon voltooi.
Die kursus is ontwerp om fisiese vermoëns, uithouvermoë en geesteskrag tot die uiterste te beproef. Die “takies” se mandaat is onder meer om op hoërisiko-voorvalle te reageer, operasionele ondersteuning tydens terrorisme- en gyselaarsverwante voorvalle te bied en reddingsmissies te onderneem.
Die taakmag het in 1976 sy ontstaan gehad en opleiding sluit ‘n hoë vlak van wapenvaardigheid, gevorderde para-militêre landelike taktiek, gevorderde taktiese polisiëring en gyselaarsvrylatingstaktieke vir hoërisiko-insidente, asook die vermoë om operasioneel per valskerm in landelike gebiede te ontplooi, in.
Wanneer hierdie elite-polisievrou nie aan diens is nie, hou sy daarvan om fiks te bly, poësie te skryf en sy is besig met haar Baccalaureus Artium (BA)-graad in sielkunde.
Sy erken sy het eers nie gedink sy kan die kursus deurstaan nie, maar het geleer waar jou verstand jou neem, sal jou liggaam volg. Vir haar is dit tans in die kameraderie van haar eenheid, van ‘n werk wat haar opgewonde maak.
Hierdie baie spesiale “takie” moedig meer vroue aan om in haar voetspore te volg.
“My werk maak my opgewonde, want hoe hoër die risiko, hoe hoër is die beloning.”
Lees lt.kol. Amanda van Wyk se volledige verklaring hier onder en kyk na die onderhoud hier bo ingesluit:
SAPS CELEBRATES ITS WOMEN: “MANY ARE CALLED, FEW ARE CHOSEN” – MEET THE SAPS’ ONLY FEMALE SPECIAL TASK FORCE OPERATOR IN THE COUNTRY
Pretoria, 09 August 2024; This year, the South African Police Service (SAPS) joins the country in observing Women’s Month by celebrating women in policing who are not only ‘game changers’ in their respective fields, but who also break barriers in male dominated environments.
Today, we introduce the nation to the first female police officer in the history of the organisation who successfully completed the elite Special Task Force (STF) Selection Training Programme without any amendments made to suit females.
Completing the STF’s intensive and rigorous eighteen-month long training programme is no small feat as it is designed to test one’s physical capabilities, endurance and mental strength. Many police officers would apply to join this elite unit with only a few that ultimately passes all the phases and complete the training programme.
The thirty-two-year-old female police officer, whose identity cannot be revealed for security reasons, was one of only eleven members of the Selection 36 group who were bestowed with STF parachute wings in January 2023 by the National Commissioner of the SAPS, General Fannie Masemola after they completed their training.
As an operational STF operator, she is trained to a high level of skill in weapon proficiency, advanced para-military rural tactics, advanced tactical policing for high-risk incidents, hostage release tactics in a variety of high-risk incidents as well as the ability to deploy operationally by parachute into rural environments.
The operator says from a young age she already knew that she was destined to serve people and studied to become a personal trainer while playing rugby.
Being both a fitness fanatic and an ‘adrenaline junkie’ her life naturally gravitated towards a career in law enforcement and she joined the Service in 2012.
She admits that at first she doubted that she would be able to complete the STF training, but she says that she soon realised that where your mind takes you, your body will follow.
The operator fondly refers to her colleagues as her ‘brothers’ and describes their bond as nothing short of comeraderie. She also encourages other women to be their authentic self and to never doubt themselves.
When she takes her ‘game face off’, the operator spends her free time by staying fit and writing poetry while she is also studying towards a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in Psychology.
“I always wake up with a smile on my face, even when I get woken up in the early hours of the morning to attend to a high-risk situation. My job excites me because the higher the risk, the higher the reward,” said the operator.
The Special Task Force, established in 1976, is the only para-military unit in the SAPS and falls under the Specialised Operations Component, which is led by a female commander, Major General Nonhlanhla Zulu. Together with other units and components, they report to the organisation’s first female Deputy National Commissioner for Policing, Lieutenant General Tebello Mosikili.
This elite unit’s mandate includes responding and providing operational support only to high-risk incidents which include terrorism and hostage related incidents, rescue missions amongst a host of other high-risk matters.
As the only female Special Task Force operator, rest assured she gives it her all as she continues to serve our country with dignity, honour and pride!
