President Cyril Ramaphosa will join the families and colleagues of 12 police officers who died in the line of duty at the annual South African Police Service (SAPS) Commemoration Day in Pretoria.
The ceremony will take place at the SAPS Memorial Site at the Union Buildings, where the fallen officers will be honoured for their service and sacrifice.
The 12 members died while on duty during the 12-month period from April 1, 2025 to March 31, 2026.
This year’s commemoration comes after a sharp decline in the number of police officers killed in the line of duty, with 27 members having been honoured for the previous 12-month period.
The 12 fallen officers 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.
Acting National Police Commissioner Lieutenant-General Puleng Dimpane has described the decline as encouraging, although she raised concern over the number of fallen officers from Gauteng.
Eight of the 12 officers were from Gauteng
Dimpane said eight of the 12 officers being commemorated this year were from Gauteng, prompting SAPS to reconsider its policing strategy in the province.
“When you look at the 12, eight of them come from Gauteng. It tells you that we need to revisit our strategy when it comes to the province of Gauteng,” Dimpane said.
She said the overall reduction in police deaths was encouraging and called on young South Africans to consider joining the police service.
“Police service is a calling. I will still encourage young men and women in society to join the police to assist us get rid of crime,” she said.
Why SAPS holds Commemoration Day
SAPS National Commemoration Day is held on the first Sunday of September each year to honour members who died in the line of duty during the preceding 12 months.
The day forms part of the service’s remembrance of fallen police officers, with their names engraved on the SAPS Memorial Site at the Union Buildings as a permanent tribute to their sacrifice.
The annual ceremony brings together the families, friends and colleagues of fallen officers to remember their service and the risks they faced while protecting communities.
Ramaphosa to join families at memorial
Ramaphosa will join the families and colleagues of the 12 officers at Sunday’s ceremony as the country pays tribute to their lives and service.
The commemoration will mark the official remembrance of the members who died during the period under review, while highlighting the continued risks faced by police officers in the execution of their duties.
For the families of the fallen officers, the ceremony will provide an opportunity to honour their loved ones alongside their SAPS colleagues and the country’s leadership
hope.ntanzi.iol.co.za
IOL News
Get your news on the go. Download the latest IOL App for Android and IOS now
