When Brig Linky Mathebula took over as the head of Limpopo’s Family Violence, Child Protection, and Sexual Offences (FCS) unit in 2023, she stepped into a system that was overwhelmed by delayed justice caused by missing DNA evidence.Across the province’s five districts, dozens of rape and sexual assault cases had been struck off the roll, not because of weak investigations but because DNA evidence was missing or delayed. She stated that many survivors were left without justice while the perpetrators continued to walk free.“When I arrived, there were a lot of dockets that had not been placed on the roll. We refer to this as struck-off docket. I made sure that we called these dockets and screened them. There was a DNA issue that was outstanding, so we coordinated with our Hawks and the forensic team to assist us with those struck-off dockets,” she said.Determined to address the problem, Mathebula introduced a new strategy — the 100-Day DNA Initiative.Under this system, no gender-based violence (GBV) docket should go beyond 100 days without being registered with DNA evidence or a report from forensic social workers.“The first thing we did with the teams was to organise those dockets and obtain the DNA because most of our dockets that were struck off were not on the roll due to outstanding DNA. Some of these dockets were also pending the forensic social worker’s report. “We made sure to always check those dockets to obtain the forensic social worker report and the DNA report in order to get the dockets back on the roll. We made sure to always check those dockets to obtain the forensic social worker report and the DNA report in order to get the dockets back on the roll. — Brig Linky MathebulaThis process has helped change the situation, especially since there was previously a gap with no commander present,” Mathebula. Mathebula is the leader of 234 officers in 16 FCS units across Limpopo. Mathebula, who is originally from Nkowankowa, Tzaneen said that she always wanted to be a police officer. She was offered a job in 2001.“As I was growing up, I remember feeling excited whenever I saw the police or their van moving around. When you were young and did something wrong, the fear of getting caught would scare you; hearing the siren was an exhilarating experience.“After I completed my matriculation, I attended the University of Limpopo, where I earned my BA degree, majoring in criminology. I was fortunate to secure a job with the police right after that, and I continued my studies by pursuing my honours degree in criminology,” she said.Mathebula said she meets frequently with the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), social workers, and NGOs to ensure communication doesn’t collapse between agencies. “I’m lucky because my commanders are committed and professional. So it makes it easier for me to rule. It’s not like I’m always there physically. But with these commanders of the 16 units, they are helping me a lot to manage this. They make it easier for me to manage the units because they report directly to me,” she said.I’m lucky because my commanders are committed and professional. It makes it easier to rule. It’s not like I’m always there physically— Brig Linky MathebulaDespite their success in some areas, Mathebula said that a painful challenge persists: families withdrawing cases, particularly those involving minors.“The challenges that we face include situations where a minor is a victim of rape, and the parents attempt to withdraw the cases. In cases of rape, we rely on the NPA to ensure that justice is served. However, we often find that the NPA does not prioritise our dockets.“Instead of consulting with us to say, ‘This is the situation; can you update or take an additional statement?’ these issues make it difficult for us to effectively manage our units,” Mathebula explained.Looking ahead into the 16 Days of Activism for No Violence against Women and Children − which start from November 25 to December 10 − she said her teams will be doing roadshows across Limpopo to teach communities about reporting abuse.Sowetan
2025-11-04 06:01:47
How Mathebula turned Limpopo sexual crimes unit around
