In a field that is dominated by men, one woman police diver is making waves in the province of Gauteng.
Meet Warrant Officer Charlene van der Berg, the only female police diver attached to the Water Police and Diving Services Unit in Sedibeng, Gauteng.
The South African Police Service (SAPS) is observing Women’s Month by celebrating its women in blue who not only go beyond the call of duty, but who also continue to break barriers in male dominated environments.
Van der Berg, 42, hails from Springs. She joined the service in 2002 as a student constable.
She made a stint in the SAPS Bike Squad before joining the Water Wing after completing a Commercial Divers Level IV Course in 2014.
As a police diver, Van der Berg’s duties include attending to various water related incidents, including search and rescue operations.
Van der Berg says the majority of her work as a police diver takes place in water with zero visibility. She uses her sense of touch, often in depths shallower than 10 metres.
“I am required to enter water conditions that are extreme or challenging. If there is a potential to save a life, I never hesitate to jump in,” said Van der Berg.
To date, Van der Berg has accumulated about 120 dives, which calculates roughly to 64.5 hours. This includes diving operations to recover bodies, firearms and exhibits, as well as search and rescue missions and training purposes.
In 2016, van der Berg played an instrumental role as part of the team that was deployed for a search and rescue operation during the flash floods in Johannesburg.
During this incident, a number of vehicles were swept away by strong currents, and people lost their lives. The team managed to rescue a number of people and also retrieved vehicles.
Moreover, in 2018, Van der Berg and her colleagues were also deployed to assist during the flash floods in the Free State province.
They rescued children from a bus that was stuck in a low-lying bridge on a flooded road, and also put their lives at risk in fast flowing water to save the lives of a father and his daughter by means of rope work.
The team also rescued three men stranded on top of a vehicle while drifting off in the fast flowing water.
Van der Berg was also part of the team of six members, who were awarded monetary awards and commendation certificates for the sterling work done by putting their lives at risk to rescue and save lives during the flash floods.
“If I had to think of all the dangers that I sometimes experience, I will not be doing what I am doing if it is not my calling. I am committed and dedicated to my work. I care for people and their families. I would also not hesitate to dive to save a life in danger.
“After my first dive I knew I had not only found my calling; I had also discovered a world full of unlimited possibilities.
“I am very proud to be a member of the SAPS Water and Diving Services and to perform diving duties. But the most rewarding part of my job as a police diver is bringing closures to families by reuniting them with their loved ones,” said Van der Berg.
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