SAPS accounting clerk an everyday hero

A 32-year-old SAPS employee goes well beyond the scope of his job to bring hope, happiness and healing to those in need.

Ndivhuwo Herold Mudau is a member of the South African Police Service (SAPS) who does his country proud.

Over and above doing his job as an accounting clerk at the financial management and administration division of the SAPS head office in Pretoria, Mudau makes time to visit victims of violence and abuse, inmates, a centre for children living with disabilities and school children.

He recently received the Man of the Year Award during the annual SAPS National Excellence Awards 2019. He shared his excitement with Vuk’uzenzele. 

“It is priceless to be recognised for doing something that you love. However, it also comes with a huge responsibility because there will be expectations for me to keep raising the bar and continue to do what I have been doing,” he said.

Mudau describes himself as a man who is strong-willed and spiritually rooted, and that is what drives him to do community service.

“We have a responsibility as human beings to help those in need. Being able to put a smile on someone’s face without expecting anything in return is what makes me sleep better at night,” he added.

The criteria for winning the award included showing evidence of being actively involved in community-outreach programmes and initiatives that touch the lives of ordinary citizens, outside the SAPS premises.

He is part of Women’s Network and Men for Change structures within the SAPS that carry out community-outreach programmes.

In addition, he implemented visits to inmates of the Heidelberg Correctional Centre, an idea inspired by his church, which regularly visits correctional centres to reconnect people with God.

“I introduced this idea to our SAPS structures because I felt that preaching was not enough. We visited Heidelberg Correctional Centre to spend time with inmates. Some of them never get visits from family members,” he explained.

“We also give them an opportunity to share their stories and talk about lessons that come with life in a correctional centre. We encourage them to be different members of society when they get released from prison and make them aware of possible challenges they may face, such as being stigmatised and having to earn trust,” he said.

Mudau said their structures also seek to achieve gender transformation, promote equal rights for men and women, and to advance the wellbeing of children and people living with disabilities.

He believes that the duty of members of the SAPS is to not only arrest criminals, but also to show society that they care.