The build-up activities leading to the Provincial Launch of Operation Shanela in conjunction with the Women in Law Enforcement (WILE) parade continued in two phases, in De Aar on Sunday, 13 August 2023.
The first phase the Women in Law Enforcement supported by their male counterparts converged at the De Aar Army Base joined in prayer and devotion during a powerful church service led by Women from the SAPS, the Department of Transport Safety and Liaison (DTSL), the South African National Defence Force (SANDF), the Department of Correctional Service (DCS) and the Department of Home Affairs.
In outlining the purpose for the divine intervention, the Provincial Head for Pro-active Policing Brigadier Irene Kopeledi mentioned that the church service is meant to uplift and pray for the safety and security of resilient women in the different spheres of the crime fighting chain.
Chaplain Malerato Mhlekwa in delivering the sermon, shared a scripture from the book of Isaiah 52 vs 1-2, appealing to women to shake off the dust in them as God is telling women this day to arise from the dust, women should not feel condemned by the different daily challenges.
During the second phase, the delegation converged at the De Aar Hospice in Malaykamp in De Aar, to deliver must needed hampers and items that would assist the institution in their mission.
The founder and manager of the centre, Ms Theresa Thompson who was also celebrating her 74th birthday, in welcoming the WILE gave a brief history of the institution and shared the hardships that the institution had to endure but managed through all to be resilient providing care and support to the sick and or terminally ill.
The Pixley Ka Seme District Commissioner, Major General Nomana Mtukushe thanked all the women from the Departments for offering support to Hospice saying a giveth hand is blessed.
Women must never give up and persist donating in kind to the institution.
Source: South African Police Service