Category: English

Beyond the names of the 12 police officers remembered at the Union Buildings on Sunday, stand families whose lives were changed forever.

From a mother of three to a father whose death left behind seven-month-old twins, the stories of this year’s fallen police officers brought home the human cost of attacks on those entrusted with protecting South Africans.

President Cyril Ramaphosa described the South African Police Service (SAPS) National Commemoration Day as a national covenant of remembrance, accountability and renewal — a commitment to honour those who made the ultimate sacrifice and to stand with the families they left behind.

“This year, we remember 12 members who lost their lives in the line of duty during the last financial year. Nine of these members were from Gauteng, with one each from the North West, KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga,” President Ramaphosa said.

The annual commemoration is held on the first Sunday of September to remember police officers who died in the line of duty during the preceding 12 months. This year’s ceremony honoured the 12 members, who died between 1 April 2025 and 31 March 2026.

For the families gathered at the Union Buildings, the day was about much more than a ceremony. President Ramaphosa said among them was a wife who was pregnant when her husband was killed, while another family lost a father and husband, who left behind infant twins.

Among the 12 fallen members was also the only woman on this year’s Roll of Honour – a mother of three from Temba Police Station.

The President said these personal stories should force the country to confront the circumstances in which police officers are being killed.

“Behind every police killing is a family story that has been permanently rewritten. The circumstances of these deaths should concern us deeply.”

Several of the officers were killed while working the same shift, responding to business robbery complaints or transporting awaiting-trial prisoners. Others died while carrying out routine crime prevention and patrol duties in their own precincts.

The youngest was just 25 years old.

“Today we remember them not as statistics, but as sons and daughters, mothers and fathers, colleagues and friends, who went to work to protect their fellow South Africans and never returned home,” President Ramaphosa said.

The 12 members being remembered are Constable Gift Mota, Sergeant Sello Raymond Sema, Sergeant Matome Rapetsoa, Sergeant Simon Masenye, Constable Mwazkhe Khoza, Warrant Officer Mosesi Moswana, Constable Moselalelelo Montja, Constable George Hlekiso, Sergeant Sanele Dlamini, Warrant Officer Vuyisile Sintwa, Constable Sharon Hlangoane and Sergeant Lawrence Mtsweni.

Their names have been added to the Roll of Honour, ensuring that their service and sacrifice remain part of the nation’s memory.

Collectively building safer communities

President Ramaphosa challenged South Africans to look beyond the immediate response to police killings, and consider the kind of society the country wants to build.

“We must confront a difficult question: what kind of society kills those entrusted to protect it, and what must we do to change it? When criminals target a police officer, they are attacking the integrity of the State, the rule of law and the constitutional order,” he said.

The President said attacks on police officers are therefore an attack not only on individuals, but on the people of South Africa.

“Our response must extend beyond enforcement. The fight against crime must become a project of responsible citizenship, respecting the law, rejecting corruption, reporting criminality and teaching our children that respect for human life is the foundation of a stable democracy.”

This, he said, requires investment in families, schools, early childhood development, youth programmes and sport to build resilience before young people become vulnerable to criminal networks.

While the number of police officers killed in the line of duty has declined significantly in recent years, the President stressed that even one life lost is one too many.

“This reflects the progress of operational interventions, police safety initiatives, community partnerships, and cooperation across government and with the private sector.”

Supporting life after tragedy

He also called for stronger partnerships with the private sector to support the children left behind by fallen officers.

Since its establishment in 2010, the South African Police Service Education Trust (SAPSET) has supported 2 215 children of fallen police officers, with more than R25 million raised through sponsorships.

“This investment changes lives. Children, who once faced uncertainty, have graduated. Some have obtained Master’s and PhD degrees,” Ramaphosa said.

He appealed directly to corporate South Africa to support SAPSET through sustainable donations and scholarship programmes, helping children transform the experience of loss into opportunity.

For the families of the fallen, however, no amount of support can replace the loved ones they lost.

“No ceremony can replace a husband or wife. No pension can compensate for the loss of a father or mother, and no tribute can return a parent to their children.

“But we can ensure that their service is never forgotten and that their families remain part of the national family,” the President said.

To the children of the fallen officers, the President said their parents had left them more than memories.

“They left you a legacy of courage, duty and service. Carry their names with pride and build lives worthy of their sacrifice.”

To the men and women who continue to wear the SAPS uniform, President Ramaphosa said the nation sees their courage and recognises the demands of their profession.

The President urged the nation to ensure that those who protect South Africa are themselves protected by the society they serve. – SAnews.gov.za

The 12 South African Police Service (SAPS) members, who lost their lives in the line of duty over the past year, have been remembered with high praise, with Acting Police Minister noting sombrely the impact of their loss on the fallen members’ families and colleagues. 

This was at the heart of this year’s SAPS National Commemoration Day, as Cachalia paid tribute to the men and women, who left their homes to serve South Africa but never returned.

“We remember their lives. We remember the families who loved them and now live with their unbearable loss,” Cachalia said.

Addressing families, friends and colleagues gathered at the Union Buildings in Pretoria on Sunday, Cachalia said the presence of President Cyril Ramaphosa at the occasion reflects the importance the nation attaches to the safety and security of its people, as well as to those who dedicate themselves to protecting them.

“It is fitting that this solemn commemoration takes place in the presence of the President of the Republic,” Cachalia said.

The annual SAPS National Commemoration Day is held on the first Sunday of September to honour police officers who died in the line of duty during the preceding 12 months. The ceremony has for years brought together the families, friends and colleagues of fallen officers at the SAPS Memorial Site at the Union Buildings, where the names of those who made the ultimate sacrifice are remembered.

The tradition is a stark reminder that behind every name on the memorial is a life, a family and a community left to carry on without a loved one.

This year, 12 members are being honoured for losing their lives while on duty between 1 April 2025 and 31 March 2026.

Cachalia acknowledged that no ceremony could ever erase the pain of loss.

“No words can undo the pain of losing a husband or wife, a mother or father, a son or daughter, a brother or sister.

“Your loved ones have not been forgotten. Their service mattered. Their sacrifice mattered, and their names will remain part of the story of our country and of the South African Police Service.”

Providing ongoing support

Cachalia stressed that government’s responsibility to the families of fallen officers does not end when the funeral is over.

“Our commitment must continue in the practical support we provide in benefits, counselling, welfare and, importantly, in the education of their children.”

Cachalia also acknowledged the important role played by the South African Police Service Education Trust, which supports the educational needs of children of fallen police officials.

“The work of the Trust speaks to something deeply important: when we care for a police official, we must care for the family that stands behind that official.

“Education is one of the most meaningful ways we can do this. By helping to secure educational opportunities for the children of our members, the Trust provides not only financial assistance, but hope, dignity and the possibility of a better future.” 

To serving police officers, Cachalia said the best way to honour their fallen colleagues is to build a police service grounded in professionalism, discipline, integrity and courage.

He called for a service that protects its members, while earning the trust of the communities it serves.

“Let us care for one another. No police official should feel that they must carry trauma, grief or hardship alone. Today, we mourn. We remember. We give thanks.

“But above all, we recommit ourselves to the noble responsibility for which our fallen colleagues gave their lives, to protect the people of South Africa and to uphold the Constitution and the rule of law.” 

Family members, friends and relatives braved the cold and rainy weather to gather at the Union Buildings and honour those whose lives were cut short in the line of duty.

This year’s commemoration also comes against the backdrop of a sharp decline in the number of police officers killed in the line of duty. The 12 members being honoured are fewer than the 27 officers commemorated in the previous 12-month period.

The fallen officers being remembered this year are Constable Gift Mota, Sergeant Sello Raymond Sema, Sergeant Matome Rapetsoa, Sergeant Simon Masenye, Constable Mwazkhe Khoza, Warrant Officer Mosesi Moswana, Constable Moselalelelo Montja, Constable George Hlekiso, Sergeant Sanele Dlamini, Warrant Officer Vuyisile Sintwa, Constable Sharon Hlangoane and Sergeant Lawrence Mtsweni.

Their names now form part of the enduring record of those who gave their lives while serving the people of South Africa. 

Cachalia said their service, sacrifice and memory remain part of the story of the South African Police Service and the country. – SAnews.gov.za

Social Development Minister Dina Pule has called on churches and faith-based organisations to continue playing a leading role in building resilient communities and supporting South Africa’s most vulnerable people.

Pule said church leaders had played a critical role during South Africa’s transition to democracy, helping to foster reconciliation, peace-building and nation-building at a pivotal moment in the country’s history.

“At a critical moment in our history, churches and faith-based organisations came together with community structures and political leaders to promote reconciliation, peacebuilding and nation-building,” Pule said.

The Minister was speaking on behalf of Deputy President Paul Mashatile at the Church Leaders Gathering in Unity (CLGU) at the Future Africa Campus of the University of Pretoria in Gauteng on Saturday.

She said churches had helped facilitate dialogue, healing and social cohesion, while faith-based organisations had worked alongside healthcare workers and government departments to provide care, counselling, awareness programmes and support services to individuals and families.

Pule said this spirit of collaboration remains essential, as South Africa confronts persistent social challenges.

She urged faith communities to remain partners in reaching vulnerable and hard-to-reach populations, reducing stigma and strengthening prevention and treatment efforts in communities.

She pointed to the ongoing contribution of churches and faith-based organisations in tackling poverty and supporting vulnerable households.

“Through partnerships with the Department of Social Development and other government institutions, many churches have operated feeding schemes, community outreach programmes, shelters, substance-abuse interventions and support services for children, older individuals and people living with disabilities.”

However, Pule acknowledged that much more needs to be done to improve the living conditions of South Africans.

“Regardless of the past successful collaboration, much still needs to be done to improve the living condition of our people. South Africa continues to navigate a complex social and economic landscape.” 

The Minister said poverty, unemployment, inequality, gender-based violence, substance abuse, crime and the erosion of moral values continue to place pressure on communities.

“These challenges require more than government intervention alone; they require a united society, anchored in compassion, ethical leadership and active citizenship.”

Pule called for all sectors of society to work together to build resilient communities and restore hope where there is despair.

Drawing on the Christian teaching of “loving one’s neighbour”, Pule urged communities to support people struggling with alcohol and drug abuse.

She also called for stronger action against those who engage in harmful activities in communities, saying no one should be above accountability, including those who occupy positions of religious leadership.

At the same time, Pule said addressing unemployment requires a collective effort to create opportunities, support skills development and encourage entrepreneurship.

“The Church, together with all sectors of society, has a responsibility to teach about the consequences of violence and the importance of respecting one another,” she said.

Pule also reflected on a recent Spring Day celebration that resulted in the death of a young man, describing it as a painful reminder of the need for greater responsibility in communities.

“I must state this clearly: No one deserves to die at the hands of another person, regardless of the circumstances. Equally, no one should take the law into their own hands.”

She said the Church has an important role to play in reinforcing the message that violence is never an acceptable response to conflict.

“The Church must continue to proclaim that violence is never an acceptable response to conflict and that every person is created with inherent dignity and deserves to be treated with respect,” the Minister said. 

The gathering took place as South Africa continues to commemorate 30 Years of the Constitution this year. – SAnews.gov.za

The South African Police Service (SAPS), together with other law enforcement agencies and stakeholders, has seized more than 1 700 counterfeit sports apparel and footwear items, as well as manufacturing equipment with an estimated value of more than R1.5 million.

Acting on intelligence, the National Counterfeit and Illicit Goods Uni, led a multi-disciplinary takedown operation at a storage facility in the Johannesburg CBD this past week.

The operation involved members of the Gauteng Counterfeit and Illicit Goods Unit, Public Order Policing (POP), the Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD), South African Revenue Service (SARS) Customs Division and brand protection representatives.

“The team executed several search-and-seizure warrants and uncovered a significant quantity of counterfeit goods, including sports apparel and footwear bearing protected and well-known brands, including Springboks-branded merchandise.

“In addition to the counterfeit merchandise, police seized manufacturing equipment and materials believed to have been used in the production and distribution of counterfeit goods. These include counterfeit labels and stickers, an embossing machine and silkscreen plates,” the police said.

The operation forms part of ongoing nationwide efforts by SAPS and its law enforcement partners to disrupt and dismantle criminal networks involved in the manufacture, distribution and sale of counterfeit and illicit goods.

SAPS urges members of the public to remain vigilant and to purchase sports merchandise from legitimate and authorised retailers. The public is also encouraged to report suspected counterfeit goods to the relevant authorities. – SAnews.gov.za