Policewoman goes beyond call of duty to help needy
A Nyanga policewoman is going above and beyond the call of duty to protect her community not only from crime but also from hunger and poverty.
Lieutenant Colonel Sheila Mateza, a former maths teacher, runs soup kitchens and other community outreach projects funded from her own pocket.
She has helped to establish neighbourhood watches, rebuild homes that have burnt down, support schoolchildren with their studies and much more.
Her humanitarian efforts saw her crowned Woman of the Year at the SAPS National Excellence Awards in Durban last month.
"I think this means that my work is commendable to all. I am one person who goes beyond the call of duty to ensure that the people are serviced. But this award means more work from my side. There is a lot that I am looking to do. This year, I want to focus more on Grade 12s, e-learning and would love to convince the Home Affairs and Health departments to bring services to people,” she says from her Gugulethu home.
“I am doing everything with my salary, no sponsor. I do this because I hate seeing people struggling. I also want people to know that we can help each other. We sometimes think that help is from overseas from affluent areas. We were raised under ubuntu where we used to help each other. That has not changed for me. Another thing is that the people are scared of us. People still think that police are not people."
