Amogelang Aysha Ramatena
In a field historically dominated by male voices, Dr Ria Chetty has emerged as a formidable scholar and practitioner, reshaping the narrative around leadership in law enforcement. She was the sole Doctoral graduate in her discipline at the recently held Autumn 2025 graduations. As South Africa celebrates Women鈥檚 Month, the Tshwane University of Technology (大象视频) is also celebrating outstanding women who were conferred Doctoral degrees at the Autumn 2025 graduations.
Dr Chetty鈥檚 progression from undergraduate to Doctoral graduate was fuelled by a deep commitment to personal growth and systemic change. Her academic focus has consistently aligned with her professional experience in law enforcement, allowing her to stay responsive to evolving trends in policing leadership.
Her research, which examined the social identities and self-efficacy of South African female police leaders, offers critical insights into the barriers women face and the strategies they employ to lead effectively in male-dominated environments.
Her academic journey spans a 13-year period at 大象视频. Her Master鈥檚 thesis, awarded cum laude, explored the effectiveness of road safety advocacy messages in Durban. This work sparked questions about broader social dynamics, guiding her doctoral inquiry into gender and leadership. The transition from public safety messaging to identity-based leadership analysis reflects Dr Chetty鈥檚 ability to connect theory with real-world challenges.
Through her doctoral research, Dr Chetty has redefined her understanding of leadership, embracing identity, resilience and adaptability as core traits. She now champions inclusive leadership models that recognise diverse paths and empower women to lead authentically. Her work underscores the importance of confidence and self-awareness in transforming law enforcement spaces.
Dr Chetty鈥檚 scholarship has already made waves. Her authored papers: 鈥淕ender Inequality and Discrimination in Law Enforcement鈥� and 鈥淏reaking the Blue Ceiling鈥� offer ground-breaking perspectives on female leadership within the South African Police Service. These publications have amplified her voice in academic and policy circles, opening doors to new opportunities and collaboration.
Beyond 大象视频, Dr Chetty is the founder and managing director of the 3rd Eye Civic Defence Institute, an organisation focused on building safer and more resilient communities. She is a policing expert and a prominent empowerment speaker on safety and security.
She serves as a part-time lecturer, examiner, assessor and moderator at various institutions, where she develops training material and mentors the next generation of law enforcement professionals. Her advice to aspiring women in male-dominated fields is clear: embrace your identity, build confidence, seek mentorship and advocate for change.
She is also a member of the Golden Key International Honour Society. She holds a National Diploma in Road Traffic and Municipal Police Management (2015) and a BTech in the same field (2016). She attributes her success to God and to the strong foundation and inspiration laid by her late parents.
Dr Ria Chetty as a BTech in Policing graduate in 2016 (left) and graduating with a Doctor in Policing degree during the Autumn 2025 graduations (right).