Full Text Available
Note: Clicking the button above will open the full text document at the original institutional repository in a new window.
Women in blue: Meaning and identity perspectives of policewomen within the South African Police Services in the Cape Town Metropolitan area.
South Africa grapples with a policing crisis marked by rising gender-based violence, corruption, high violent crime rates, robbery, and murder. Effective solutions to improve policing require holistic police reform, addressing internal issues including gender inequality. This study examines the expe...
Saved in:
| Main Author: | |
|---|---|
| Other Authors: | |
| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | English Eng |
| Published: |
Department of Public Law
2025
|
| Subjects: | |
| Tags: |
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1867614261149171712 |
|---|---|
| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | Zondeka, Kuhle Nwabisa |
| author2 | Kinnes, Irvin |
| author_browse | Kinnes, Irvin Zondeka, Kuhle Nwabisa |
| author_facet | Kinnes, Irvin Zondeka, Kuhle Nwabisa |
| author_sort | Zondeka, Kuhle Nwabisa |
| collection | Thesis |
| description | South Africa grapples with a policing crisis marked by rising gender-based violence, corruption, high violent crime rates, robbery, and murder. Effective solutions to improve policing require holistic police reform, addressing internal issues including gender inequality. This study examines the experiences of policewomen in the South African Police Service (SAPS), uncovering their challenges with their male counterparts in the workplace as well as the communities they serve in. Through open-ended interviews, the research reveals discrimination based on capabilities, workplace sexual harassment, and societal devaluation of policewomen as challenges policewomen experience. By applying an intersectional feminist lens, the study recognises the intricate identities of policewomen that are shaped by the intersection of gender and race in a male-dominated society. Policewomen in the SAPS face consistent and constant challenges, however, they continue to demonstrate resilience against mistreatment from colleagues, the public, and superiors. The study concluded that the experience of being a woman in the SAPS defies a simple narrative and lacks a clear formula. This unique experience demands constant efforts to overcome adversities and contribute to changing dynamics within policing. Furthermore, the study showed that policewomen play a crucial role in police reform, standing resilient amid challenges, exemplifying strength, and paving the way for a more inclusive and equitable policing environment. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/41184 |
| institution | University of Cape Town (South Africa) |
| language | English Eng |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:49:13.812Z |
| license_str | Not specified — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository |
| publishDate | 2025 |
| publishDateRange | 2025 |
| publishDateSort | 2025 |
| publisher | Department of Public Law |
| publisherStr | Department of Public Law |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository |
| spelling | oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/41184 Women in blue: Meaning and identity perspectives of policewomen within the South African Police Services in the Cape Town Metropolitan area. Zondeka, Kuhle Nwabisa Kinnes, Irvin Criminology Law Society South Africa grapples with a policing crisis marked by rising gender-based violence, corruption, high violent crime rates, robbery, and murder. Effective solutions to improve policing require holistic police reform, addressing internal issues including gender inequality. This study examines the experiences of policewomen in the South African Police Service (SAPS), uncovering their challenges with their male counterparts in the workplace as well as the communities they serve in. Through open-ended interviews, the research reveals discrimination based on capabilities, workplace sexual harassment, and societal devaluation of policewomen as challenges policewomen experience. By applying an intersectional feminist lens, the study recognises the intricate identities of policewomen that are shaped by the intersection of gender and race in a male-dominated society. Policewomen in the SAPS face consistent and constant challenges, however, they continue to demonstrate resilience against mistreatment from colleagues, the public, and superiors. The study concluded that the experience of being a woman in the SAPS defies a simple narrative and lacks a clear formula. This unique experience demands constant efforts to overcome adversities and contribute to changing dynamics within policing. Furthermore, the study showed that policewomen play a crucial role in police reform, standing resilient amid challenges, exemplifying strength, and paving the way for a more inclusive and equitable policing environment. 2025-03-14T12:50:32Z 2025-03-14T12:50:32Z 2024 2025-03-14T12:34:43Z Thesis / Dissertation Masters MPhil in Criminology, Law & Society http://hdl.handle.net/11427/41184 en Eng application/pdf Department of Public Law Faculty of Law University of Cape Town |
| spellingShingle | Criminology Law Society Zondeka, Kuhle Nwabisa Women in blue: Meaning and identity perspectives of policewomen within the South African Police Services in the Cape Town Metropolitan area. |
| thesis_degree_str | Master's |
| title | Women in blue: Meaning and identity perspectives of policewomen within the South African Police Services in the Cape Town Metropolitan area. |
| title_full | Women in blue: Meaning and identity perspectives of policewomen within the South African Police Services in the Cape Town Metropolitan area. |
| title_fullStr | Women in blue: Meaning and identity perspectives of policewomen within the South African Police Services in the Cape Town Metropolitan area. |
| title_full_unstemmed | Women in blue: Meaning and identity perspectives of policewomen within the South African Police Services in the Cape Town Metropolitan area. |
| title_short | Women in blue: Meaning and identity perspectives of policewomen within the South African Police Services in the Cape Town Metropolitan area. |
| title_sort | women in blue meaning and identity perspectives of policewomen within the south african police services in the cape town metropolitan area |
| topic | Criminology Law Society |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/11427/41184 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT zondekakuhlenwabisa womeninbluemeaningandidentityperspectivesofpolicewomenwithinthesouthafricanpoliceservicesinthecapetownmetropolitanarea |