Cape Town -
Hailed as the peacemakers and unsung heroes of their community, touching tributes told of the void which would be left, as the remaining six Correctional Services officers who died earlier this month in the horrific Swellendam accident were buried.
Family and friends attended the funeral of Joseph Klaase, Ronzio Merrington, Sidwell Johnson, Nicolas Jansen, Frederick Carstens, and Josephine Gertze at the Swellendam showgrounds on Saturday.
Their colleagues Bunet Brandt and Dawid Arries, who also died in the crash, were buried earlier this week. Lydia Jansen, 48, wife of Nicolas “Neville” Jansen, said her late husband had kept the peace within their family as well. “I will miss his jokes in the house... he was very funny,” said Lydia.
The Jansen family were among thousands of mourners at the Swellendam showgrounds.
On Tuesday May 5, en route to work, the officers were killed when a bakkie hit a truck which, in turn, veered off the road and crashed into the minibus they were travelling in on the N2.
As the funeral procession began there was a slideshow which captured moments in the lives of each of the five men and one woman’s lives.
It left many of the victims’ partners and children in tears. Department of Correctional Services’ Tyrone De Wet read the obituary.
He said: “The sudden death of our members who left their homes to render a service will leave a void in our hearts for some time and they leave a legacy.”
He paid tribute to their collective 178 years of service, achievements and diverse characters of all eight officials who died in the crash.
Department of Correctional Services acting national commissioner Zach Modise after hearing the number of year of service the officials had accumulated said the magnitude of the loss to the department had “dawned” on him.
“For a centre like Buffeljagsrivier it is a tremendous loss. Those left behind will have to... fill the big shoes they left behind.”
He said officers’ jobs to rehabilitate prison inmates were difficult.
But despite challenges, such as financial constraints, a lack of resources and corruption, Modise said their staff remained “steadfast” to see offenders reintegrated into society.
“With us there is no dustbin for human beings and even knowing we might not return home, we are motivated by the fact that if only one out of 10 offenders can end up leading a crime-free life, that’s what drives us,” he added.
As the department’s choir sang, officers formed a semi-circle around the coffins.
After offering his condolences to the victims’ families, friends and colleagues, Minister of Justice and Correctional Services Tshililo Masutha extended his gratitude for their dedication and efforts to keep the country safe.
He emphasised that the government was “working around the clock” to bring those who violate and flout road rules to book.
Masutha said that a case of culpable homicide had been opened.
With a critical need for more Correctional Services officers, the minister said they only had 39 000 employed while they required at least 60 000 officers.
“It is urgent that the department be appropriately staffed,” added Masutha.
He lauded the dead officers as “unsung heroes and heroines” for their attempts to mould the behaviour of those “rejected and frowned upon” in society.
“It will compel us to struggle in the fight for a crime-free society.”
Sunday Argus