Photo: Yolanda Lemmer
A dog may be man’s best friend, but among members of the local police force, the horse is quickly becoming a strong contender.
Over the past four days, Sergeant Mothusi Mgika and Constable Lerato Marai (on with their two Arabian horses, a white mare named Awakening, and a brown gelding named Bringani) have become instant celebrities at Nampo Park during Nampo 2025.
Stationed at the south gate entrance of the park, the two officers have been patrolling the grounds for up to eight hours a day, taking only a few water breaks for the horses and short lunch breaks for themselves. While visitors have eagerly approached the horses, some were forced to step back when Bringani bared his teeth. “He is trained for crime control, and his kick can be deadly,” warned Mgika.
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Mgika said he’s currently using Bringani as a temporary mount while his own horse recovers from an injury.
“Bringani and I are still getting used to each other. He has a strong will, so I’ve had to study his body language to understand what he wants and expects from me.”
The officers form part of what the South African Police Service refers to as the “mounted unit,” which is tasked with providing visible policing, not only at public events like Nampo, but also in rural communities and urban centres.
These units, said Sergeant Martin Xuma, Free State provincial spokesperson, is very effective for crowd control and patrolling open areas.
Both Mgika and Marai are based at the Bloemfontein Mounted Unit, which plays a key role in curbing stock theft along the Lesotho border and combating rural crime.
“A horse can run much faster than any human, and its kick can kill,” said Mgika.
Asking why horses are so beneficial in combating crime, Mgika said:
“Horses can tread where no vehicle can go. They are fast and strong and have great stamina. Unlike police vans, they don’t break down or run out of fuel.”
Police horses and their officers share a mutual understanding and affection. Marai and his mare have been together for 10 years.
“She is old and on the verge of retirement. We’ve had a few good years together, and I am definitely going to buy her when she reaches retirement age.”
Marai said he accidentally ended up at the mounted unit, and unlike Mgika, he did not grow up riding horses.
“During our first few years together, I often fell off Awakening. It was as if we just couldn’t trust each other. I, however, climbed back on, and today we are a dream team.”
Nampo is not a crime hotspot, and no serious incidents have been reported.
“What we are basically doing is showing motorists where they parked their cars. We can easily spot the registration numbers from the backs of our horses,” laughed Mgika.
