Celebrates its women: meet constable Thabisa Ntyinkala, the only female TRT member ‘Amaberethe’ in the Western Cape

Western Cape, 21 August 2024; This year, the South African Police Service (SAPS) is observing Women's Month by highlighting the work of its women in blue who go beyond the call of duty to serve and protect the people of South Africa.

Today, we introduce the nation to Constable Thabisa Ntyinkala, a fitness fanatic who dons ‘an operator’s face’ all the time which makes her look the part as the only female member of the Western Cape Tactical Response Team (TRT).

She is not phased by the fact that she is the only woman within the TRT environment in the Western Cape but is quick to admit she has always bonded well with men.

Forty-year-old Ntyinkala joined the SAPS in September 2014 and underwent her basic training at the Mthatha SAPS Academy in the Eastern Cape. She started working at Cape Town Central Police Station and later performed court duties. It was during her sporting activities in the SAPS where she participated in functional fitness, tug of war and ladies’ soccer that she was identified because of her fitness levels and encouraged to join the tactical response team, an opportunity she embraced with both hands and did not look back.

She acknowledges that as TRT members they deal with high risk situations but stresses the importance of operational readiness and discipline at all times. She advises other women who aspire to be in tough environments like the TRT to pull their weight and not expect to be treated differently.

On a lighter note, she enjoys the fact that they wear different uniform.

In the course of executing her duties she has no recollection of a time when she received a negative response when giving a command either to a fellow member or a member of the public. That to her is testament to the fact that the manner you carry yourself speaks volumes to how you are perceived. That is why she advocates for physical appearance, posture, facial expression and operational readiness as key to doing sterling work within the TRT environment.

How she switches off from her hectic schedule is through prayer which she admits “sustains her”. In addition from a challenging day at work, she falls back on her fitness routine.

Constable Ntyinkala who is from Khayelitsha, barely looks a day over 30 is a doting mother to two children and says her own parents are proud of her.

She is also a trainer within the TRT and is about to undergo a six-week course to present and train the selection team in order to enhance capacity.

She has been all over the country on detached duties. Growing up in Khayelitsha she acknowledges gives her the edge over others who are not familiar with such a vast and challenging area.

"My wish is for members to remain true to the oath they take when they join the Service. In that way, corruption among the ranks of SAPS members, will be eliminated," said Constable Ntyinkala.

Media enquiries: Brigadier Novela Potelwa (WC) 082 559 4676