​“I now feel like somebody in this life and the community that I come from. People now look at me differently because I bring solutions to many problems that they are facing and those who come with problems that I can’t solve, I direct them to the right person. Being in this position is a dream come true,”

This were the words by Nikita Abdine-Leray, one of over a 1 000 City of Johannesburg Metro Police Department (JMPD) recruits who was recently appointed as an officer.

Like many young people in this country, Abdine-Leray said after she completed matric, she didn’t further her studies due to financial constraints, prompting her to look for a job so that she can provide for her family.

“I knew that one day I’ll work in law enforcement and I also understood that it will take me longer than others to get there because of finance. Through it all, I held to my dream. Here I am, 12 years later, I wake up every day and do things I am passionate about,” said the 33-year-old mother of two.

Just like Abdine-Leray, it wasn’t an easy journey for Bongani Nyembe, a Soweto born and bred former taxi driver who said being a taxi driver taught him everything he needed to learn to be the best officer he could possibly be. “Being a taxi driver taught me how to work with people.”

Nyembe said he has always been a goal-orientated person who is always willing to learn and work hard in life to give his family a comfortable life.

“When I joined the academy, I continued to work on weekends as taxi driver. I’m a breadwinner in my family, so I knew when am busy chasing my dream, I also have to continue providing for my family. It wasn’t easy to be at school Monday to Friday and work on Saturdays and Sundays, but it all paid off at the end,” explained an exhilarated Nyembe.

He said now during his spare time he goes to the taxi ranks and persuades his former colleagues to do the right thing and adhere to all road regulations because he now knows better.

For Presley Packrisamy, being appointed a JMPD officer came at the right time as his wife, who was taking care of the family when he joined the academy, had just lost her job due to Covid-19.

“I believe everything works out the way it should be. My wife of two years has just lost her job when I was appointed to be an officer. This appointment is just the foundation of where I want to be in life and my career,” the former Ajax Cape Town soccer player said.

Packrisamy joined Ajax Cape Town in 2011 on a three-year contract just after he finished his matric. While he was living one his dreams as a soccer player, life crumbled down when he got injured and his career came to a dead end. After three years with the team, his contract was not renewed.

Despite his failed career in soccer, Packrisamy said being a law enforcement officer was something he was destined to do.

“My father was a police reservist in the South African Police Service for many years. I was inspired by the difference he was making in our community and I knew this is also something that I want to do for my country,” he said.

Abdine-Leray, Nyembe and Packrisamy intends to study crime intelligence, forensic, and policing respectively.

When asked if he could encourage other young people to pursue a career in law enforcement, Abdine-Leray said: “If it’s your passion, then go for it.”

The cadets went through a three-year intense training at the JMPD Academy in Booysens. They are now part of City of Joburg 10+ programme where at least 10 metro police officers are assigned to each of the City’s 135 wards to increase police visibility, enforce bylaws and prevent crime.

During his welcome address to the graduates, the Executive Mayor of the City of Johannesburg, Cllr Geoffrey Makhubo, urged them to make a difference in the lives of residents.

“You are the City’s last line of defence. We need you to ensure that our infrastructure is not damaged, that residents don’t wilfully break the law and that people’s safety is guaranteed so that we can walk the streets freely and do business without any fear of criminals,” said Mayor Makhubo.

Written by Takalani Sioga