Podcast: Forensic investigation is in Khanyisa’s DNA

After being roped into a forensic investigation assignment at work, the bug immediately bit Khanyisa Ndletyana who hasn't got an ounce of regret in her. She's making her mark in a male-dominated field

In August, we celebrate and acknowledge the power and presence of women. Therefore, we thought it fitting to explore spaces and vocations predominantly occupied by males, which females have sought and fought to break the stereotypes and occupy those spaces too.

Khanyisa Ndletyana from Queenstown in the Eastern Cape, is a forensic investigator at the Bokang Africa Group based in Gauteng. She has 10 years of experience under her belt, and is the epitome of breaking all stereotypes when it comes to her profession, not forgetting the value she adds as a woman.

Ndletyana did not know anything about forensic investigation and stumbled across the profession after completing her degree in Bcom finance, working at an audit firm. She got roped into a forensic investigation assignment at work and as they say, the rest was history, and she has not looked back since.

Driven by physical evidence

She explains that forensic investigation entails the analysis of physical evidence, which can be related to a crime scene or fraudulent activity, to try and establish why a crime occurred, how it happened, and who was involved.

It is a complex and multi-layered profession that includes different types of investigators analysing different sets of data/evidence such as:

Forensic accountants: This focuses on fraud-related cases and/or the embezzlement of funds.
Cyber forensics: Involves computer analysts who analyse large pieces of data such as computers, cellphones, printers etc.
Crime-scene forensics: The investigation of substances such as vomit, blood, and urine to establish what has occurred at the crime scene.

In the podcast Ndletyana also discusses:

How women should not be discouraged by male dominance in the profession.
Cases that are investigated require sensitivity, thorough attention to detail and compassion, which is synonymous with the approach that women often render.