As the country commemorates Women's Month, the South African Police Service (SAPS) has launched its campaign, which celebrates the dedication, resilience and professionalism of female officers who stand at the forefront of protecting women, children and other vulnerable groups while helping to build safer communities.
As part of the campaign, the SAPS highlighted the work of 45-year-old Sergeant Vuyokazi Bayi, an investigator attached to the Serial and Electronic Crime Investigation (SECI) Unit in the Eastern Cape Province.
Born and raised in Zwelitsha, Bayi's journey began at King William's Town Flying Squad when she joined the Service as a constable in 2012. Those first years pursuing suspects at high speed laid the foundation for a career that would place her at the forefront of the fight against crimes committed against women and children.
Bayi developed a passion for investigating and solving crime, which led her to join the Zwelitsha Detective Service as an investigator.
In 2020, she joined the King William's Town Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences (FCS) Unit, where she investigated sexual offence cases. Passion met purpose when Bayi joined the Eastern Cape Serial and Electronic Crime Investigation (SECI) Unit two years ago.
As a SECI investigator, she investigates serial rape cases and sexual crimes committed through electronic platforms, ensuring that offenders who prey on vulnerable victims are identified, traced and successfully prosecuted.
A recent success includes the sentencing of 32-year-old Lesotho national Lechasa Glass to indefinite imprisonment following his latest conviction on six counts of rape. The court also declared him a dangerous criminal in terms of the Criminal Procedure Act.
On 24 May 2024, Glass was convicted on 24 counts, including multiple rapes and robberies with aggravating circumstances committed against women and children in the Addo and Joubertina areas between 2015 and 2022.
His previous sentences included six life terms of imprisonment together with multiple fixed-term sentences.
Despite already being incarcerated, further DNA analysis linked Glass to three additional dockets involving the rape of a 16-year-old girl in Addo, a 13-year-old girl in Joubertina, and a 23-year-old woman. In total, DNA evidence connected Glass to 16 separate cases.
On 14 April 2026, Glass was found guilty on all six counts across the three additional cases. Following psychiatric observation, the court found that he was mentally fit, acted intentionally and displayed no remorse.
On 4 June 2026, he was sentenced to imprisonment for an indefinite period after being declared a dangerous criminal in terms of Sections 286A and 286B of the Criminal Procedure Act. The court further directed that Glass be brought before the same court after the expiry of 23 years from 4 June 2026 for reconsideration of his sentence.
Bayi, together with her colleague, Warrant Officer Sonwabile Dlomo, conducted a meticulous investigation, with their effective use of DNA technology proving instrumental in linking Glass to these cases and securing the convictions.
“Their work demonstrates how disciplined investigations, teamwork and scientific policing continue to strengthen the criminal justice system and restore public confidence in SAPS. A final-year student, Bayi will soon graduate with a Bachelor of Arts in Police Science and is currently completing an internal course on Psychologically Motivated Crime at the SAPS Academy in Hammanskraal,” the police said in a statement on Tuesday.
The police woman believes continuous learning equips investigators with the knowledge and skills needed to better protect women, children and vulnerable communities.
"To every woman wearing the badge: never underestimate your strength. Your compassion is not a weakness; it is one of your greatest strengths. Your professionalism, determination and integrity inspire those around you and help build safer communities," said Bayi.
Throughout Women's Month, the SAPS will continue profiling women across different policing environments whose leadership, integrity and commitment to service are driving organisational renewal, strengthening accountability and advancing the SAPS Reset Agenda.
South Africa commemorates Women’s Month annually in August and also remembers the 1956 Women’s March. On 9 August 2026, the country will mark the 70th anniversary of the Women’s March. On that day, more than 20 000 women marched to the Union Buildings to protest the extension of Pass Laws and the Urban Areas Act. -SAnews.gov.za
