Pretoria – The South African Police Service (SAPS) is highlighting the work of some of the men and women in blue who are fighting crime in South Africa.
Today, the SAPS introduces readers to Captain Khomotso Maluleke whose diligent work has resulted in the arrest of Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (GBVF) offenders.
Captain Maluleke is a Forensic Social Worker within the SAPS Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Investigations (FCS) unit.
So far her work has put at least 13 offenders of GBVF behind bars in Mpumalanga.
Two of these offenders were slapped with life imprisonment sentences for rape and others with up to 8 years imprisonment for sexual assault, child neglect, and assault GBH.
There is an extra special quality that Captain Khomotso Maluleke possesses – she can communicate in sign language.
“There was a time when I had to assist a deaf victim at the police station to open a case of house robbery and assault, but I struggled,” recalled Captain Maluleke.
“This is when I took it upon myself to study sign language to be able to accommodate the deaf community and to ensure justice prevails.”
As a specialised Forensic Social Worker, she said it is very important to ensure that victims of GBV come forward and open a case and work with the police to ensure that all perpetrators are brought to book.
“Helping a 13-year-old child that was raped by her uncle and ended up conceiving a child thereof, and assisting her to get proper shelter to stay as well as helping her to go back to school is by far the best achievement ever,” said Captain Maluleke.
She is currently in her final year of completing a course in sign language at Wits University.
Captain Maluleke said she wants to help more vulnerable communities.
“Most children are prevented by their guardians to report abuse because some of the perpetrators are breadwinners,” Captain Maluleke.
“Communities must act as activists against GBV within their area, homes and work.”
*(Facts compiled by: WO Winnie Mokalapa)
