Beauty, brains and biotechnology

Women are making all the right moves and this is just one of them. Warrant Officer Grace Netshimbupfe from the Sandton Police Station is doing the most. Right now she is in the process of completing her PhD in Molecular Biotechnology.

“I want to improve the developing of fingerprints in chemical investigations,” she said.

One of her main aims is to also assist the provincial office by launching awareness programmes about forensics at schools and malls around the province.

A forensic analyst in the crime scene laboratory at Sandton Police Station her job is to analyse evidence collected from crime scenes.

Apart from her scientific mind, Netshimbupfe also conquers the game of chess.

A SAPS Gauteng representative, she represents the police at the SA Chess Championships every year.

“This year I will also represent SAPS at the Sarpcco Games where they compete against all the other police departments in the African Region, it’s exciting,” she said.

Last year she took home a bronze medal at the SAPS Chess Championships in Kimberley.

And while her PhD and chess passion don’t keep her busy enough, Netshimbupfe also loves sport development. “I would like to see sport developed especially at a grass-roots level. I regularly visit schools, teaching young learners about the magic of sports.”

Growing up with a single mother, Netshimbupfe has always had a lust for life.

With her roots in the Gondeni Village in Thohoyandou, Limpopo, she attended the University of Venda straight after matric. Through much adversity and no funds for her first semester, Netshimbupfe pushed through. She currently holds a bachelor’s degree, an honour’s degree in biochemistry and a master’s degree in molecular biotechnology from the University of North West.

Never letting anything get her down, her motto has always been, “Never give up in life!”

Related article

https://staging.citizen.co.za/sandton-chronicle/240733/honouring-women-in-science/