Cape Town - After dedicating 39 years to improving safety in the province, Western Cape Anti-Gang Unit (AGU) head Major-General André Lincoln has retired.
Lincoln, who retires today, celebrated his 60th birthday on Thursday.
The father of five, a crime fighter, who recently had both his legs amputated below the knees due to diabetes, said working for the SAPS has been a roller-coaster ride.
"I enjoyed every minute of it. I enjoyed the people I worked with, especially the last three years when I headed the Anti-Gang Unit. That has been the highlight of my life," said Lincoln.
He said one of the lessons he learnt within the police service was that: "You cannot take life for granted. In the police, nobody who leaves for work in the morning is guaranteed to come home in the evening to his family."
"That is very clear. We saw it with Lieutenant-Colonel Charl Kinnear, who was shot and killed outside his home in Bishop Lavis last year, so those are some of the lessons we learn within the police," said Lincoln.
He said he was inspired by his friend, Professor Brian Williams.
"Brian was one of the people who inspired me. He was always supportive, and he always cared for me."
Williams said: "André is one of the most ethical police officers produced by the post-apartheid 1994 democratic government of South Africa."
He said he was first appointed by the late President Nelson Mandela as the Head of the Presidential Investigation Task Unit (Pitu) in 1996 to perform high-level investigations.
"André was also one of the specialist bodyguards of President Mandela. His role and prominence made him the target of many powerful individuals and criminal entities," said Williams.
He said, eventually, Lincoln was removed from SAPS after he was convicted of 17 counts of fraud in 2003, but was acquitted in 2009 by the Western Cape High Court, with the charges being labelled as false.
When asked about his next step would be, Lincoln said it was premature to divulge his plans about his life now. However, he thanked everyone who worked with him, and especially those in the AGU.
Police spokesperson Novela Potelwa congratulated Lincoln and acknowledged him for the role he played over the years as a member of the police service’s endeavours to create a safer environment in the country.
Potelwa said, as a cluster commander and later, as head of the AGU, he contributed to efforts to bring about safety to communities of the Western Cape.
"The SAPS will forever be grateful to Lincoln. The Western Cape Provincial Commissioner and his management team wish him well as he enters retirement," said Potelwa.
Whistle-blower and community activist Colin Arendse said Lincoln had been a true servant of the people following a long, unblemished career in the police service.
He said Lincoln was targeted because of his no-nonsense approach to corruption.
"I wish him and his family well and thank him for his dedicated and selfless service to our nation."
Cape Flats Safety Forum chairperson Abie Isaacs said Lincoln's deployment to the AG had good results in dealing with gangs and drugs in the province.