Pretoria - Traffic officers from across the country on Thursday paid a moving tribute to their colleagues - six of them from the Tshwane Metro Police Department - who lost their lives in the line of duty this year.
In a powerful tribute, Acting Transport Minister Ngoako Ramatlhodi urged traffic officers across the country to honour their fallen colleagues by tightening law enforcement on the roads.
This had to be done without compromise, especially with the festive season around the corner.
“South Africa can never repay the debt we owe to our fallen officers and their families.
“It is for this reason that that we must continue to do everything in our power to reduce the carnage on our roads,” Ramathlodi said.
The City of Tshwane suffered its highest number of police officers who had died in one calendar year to date, departmental spokesman Senior Superintendent Isaac Mahamba said.
Five officers died while on duty, and the sixth was found shot dead in his vehicle.
The Tshwane officers were among the 18 traffic and metro officers remembered on Thursday during the first national wreath-laying ceremony at the Gauteng Traffic Training College in Boekenhoutkloof, west of Pretoria.
The names of all the officers have been inscribed on a wall and thus their memories will live forever at the training college.
More than 300 officers have been honoured in this manner since the inception of the ceremony in 1993, but it was the first time the event has been marked on a national scale.
Ramatlhodi described the officers who died in the line of duty as heroes.
He said their deaths took place at a time when law enforcement officers were being attacked.
The department was now done with pleading and was demanding an immediate end to the killings of law enforcement officers.
“This event takes place at a time when this great country of ours is experiencing an increase in attacks on our law enforcement officers across the board.
“And we have gathered this morning not merely to lift up the memories of our fallen comrades, but to read the names inscribed on these walls and support one another in strength as well as in grief,” Ramatlhodi said.
The government was planning on introducing an insurance payout for officers who died in the line of duty.
“This cover will ease the burden on the shoulders of orphans and assist in ensuring that the family life is not disrupted by the sudden and unexpected loss of the bread winner,” Ramatlhodi said.
He told officers who attended the ceremony to pay tribute to their fallen colleagues by not compromising law enforcement on the road.
Advocate Makhosini Msibi, chief executive officer of the Road Traffic Management Corporation, said the ceremony would from this year become an annual national event dedicated to traffic and municipal officers who had died in the line of duty.
Meanwhile, the Bidvest Protea Coin company also paid tribute to its five security officers who had died in the line of duty.
They were honoured with a posthumous Medal for Bravery, given to their families during a parade.
The City of Tshwane traffic police officers who have died this year are:
Kgabo William Selepe, who died after he was run over by a bus while he was doing road policing. It was said that the bus driver did not see him.
Daniel Johannes was knocked over by a taxi while he was directing traffic on WF Nkomo Street.
Sergeant Mmushi Reuben Moatlhodi died when his motorbike collided with a taxi at Fountains Circle. Moatlhodi was part of the Presidential Protection Service.
Constable Tshepo Mphaka and Smith Sefako died in an accident on the N1 when their official vehicle hit a cow near the Murrayhill Toll Plaza.
Constable Vusi Chauke was found dead in his vehicle with a gunshot wound to his head. He was on leave, and had gone to the offices to collect his uniform.
Pretoria News