Policing in SA is no longer a matter just for the SA Police Service. Since the launch in 1999 of the country's elite crime-busting unit the Scorpions, formally known as the Directorate of Special Operations, a number of other high-profile law enforcement agencies have flourished. These include equally deadly Cobras (Willie Hofmeyr's special investigating unit), the Green Scorpions (environmental management inspectorate) and the NIBs - the National Immigration Branch. We take a look at the different units including the City Police, in Cape Town fondly referred to as the Penguins.

The most high-profile of the lot, the Scorpions always seem to be in the media spotlight. If investigators aren't zooming around in their fancy black GTIs hot on the trail of alleged fraudster Schabir Shaik or corrupt parliamentarians, then fingers are being pointed at them by the South African Police Service for the perception that they earn more.

Head of the DSO Leonard McCarthy has told parliament the unit is exceeding most of the targets it had set itself last year, including having identified 86 of the 100 priority crime syndicates in the country.

Their new target is to reduce crime by 25% in specific focus areas over the next three years.

Siane Lebakeng joined the Scorpions as a senior special investigator in 2002. She is a qualified forensic-psychophysiologist, police babble for a polygraph examiner.

As one of the 193 women in the 519-strong DSO, she says her job is "very challenging".

"You always have to prove yourself; always have to go that extra mile."

"I'm always like: Hey, I'm here!" she laughs.

She also cites "uncertainties about the future" such as difficulty in climbing the organisational ladder, as a problem.

The unit, Lebakeng says, provides a stimulating working environment, consisting as it does of everyone from accountants and lawyers to investigators and social workers.

"There are no prescribed rules. Necessary skills and experience to do the job is important in our environment," she says.

But while being a Scorpion is a fulfilling job, it also comes with significant sacrifices. Her two young children are at boarding school because she doesn't have the time to play the roles of mom and working professional.

Her personal security, she says, is a source of endless worry because investigators are left without protection.

"The job is dangerous because we have to deal with druglords and gang activities. As such you never know how safe you are."

"There are no security measures in place for members of the organisation so the question of safety is a question of luck and one prefers not to think about it," she says.

Lebakeng insists the job involves "no glamorous bits". The black Golfs are mere "operational cars".

"They are used for specific tasks during operations like arrests. When we come back we park them at work. We unfortunately don't drive them home!"

"People who drive luxurious cars are those who don't mind paying huge instalments," she says.

She says she tries to keep her eye on the media and the way in which the Scorpions are portrayed.

"It's up to the community to see if we are making a difference. Many of them tell us that we are doing a very good job."

"I still believe that we are doing very good work."

With acknowledgements to Sheena Adams and the Cape Argus.